Maltese Soldiers Charged With Racially Motivated Murder Of Lassana Cisse Plead Not Guilty
The two soldiers charged with the racially-motivated murder of Lassana Cisse have pleading not guilty.
Francesco Fenech from Marsascala and Lorin Scicluna for Paola have also been charged with the attempted murder of two others, and the hit-and-run incident that took place in the same area earlier this year.
The court, presided over the Magistrate Josette Demicoli, have been charged with committing a racially-motivated murder, inciting hatred on the basis of race, firing shots in a public place with an unlicensed weapon, making use of a car without registration plates, committing crimes they were duty-bound to prevent, and the killing of animals.
Scicluna was also accused of breaching bail conditions related to a separate case.
Lassana was gunned down while walking down Triq il-?ebel on 6th April. Two other men, a Guinean and a Gambian, were also shot but have recovered from their injuries.
The evidence strongly suggests have been a racially motivated murder, with sources saying that one of the suspects admitted to police that he did not know who Lassana or the other victims were.
The defence is being represented by Lawyer Giannella de Marco (for Fenech), Kris Busietta and Julian Farrugia (for Scicluna). No request for bail was made.
Inspectors Keith Arnaud and Trevor Micallef prosecuted.
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