The compilation of evidence has begun in the case against Mohamed Hamdan, a 45-year-old Libyan national born in Syria and residing in Bidnija. He stands accused of the murder of Jean Paul Busuttil also a resident of Bidnija on the morning of June 29 2025.
Hamdan faces multiple charges, including intentional homicide, threatening violence, criminal damage, possession of an unlicensed firearm, tampering with evidence, reckless driving, and recidivism. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The case is presided over by Magistrate Astrid May Grima, with prosecution led by Lawyers Mauro Abela and Kaylie Bonett from the Attorney General’s Office. The accused is represented by Edward Gatt, Mario Mifsud, and Nicholas Mifsud, while the victim’s family is represented by Arthur Azzopardi, Jacob Magri, and David Farrugia Sacco.
Incident Summary
According to Inspector Kurt Colombo Zahra, the case began on a Sunday morning when a Mosta-based sergeant, en route to work, witnessed a minor traffic collision in a narrow one-way rural road in Bidnija between a Volvo driven by Busuttil and a Yamaha motorbike driven by Hamdan, who was driving in the wrong direction. A dispute followed, and the officer called for LESA assistance before leaving the scene.
Busuttil’s wife and mother-in-law were in the vehicle. Shortly after, at around 7:30 a.m., police received a report of gunfire in the area. Upon arrival, police found Hamdan and his son at the scene near two motorbikes and a LESA vehicle that had been struck by a bullet. There were blood stains on the ground and a live round found nearby. Hamdan admitted to shooting, saying “Yes, I fired,” and was arrested.
Escalation and Shooting
The LESA officer on site reported that when trying to take separate statements from both men, Busuttil insisted on intervening. Hamdan was allegedly heard saying to Busuttil: “Wait, soon you’ll know who I am. You think I won’t reach you?” before leaving the scene on a motorbike. Minutes later, he returned, told the officer to move, and allegedly shot Busuttil multiple times.
Busuttil tried to flee after the first shot but was hit again. His mother-in-law claimed Hamdan even threw a slipper at them during the chaos. The victim’s wife testified he was shot point blank five times, and the shooter also fired at the LESA vehicle. She stated Hamdan shouted in Maltese: “I hope you die.”
Aftermath
Busuttil’s wife and mother-in-law managed to get him into the car and drove toward Mater Dei Hospital. They flagged down an ambulance en route. Despite medical efforts, Busuttil died at 9:13 a.m. due to his injuries. The police later conducted a search for the weapon, suspected to have been discarded in bamboo groves nearby. The area had to be cleared before the search could proceed. CCTV footage reportedly captured the sounds of gunshots and the heated argument moments before the shooting.
Further Testimonies
CCTV footage showed the argument began around 7:26 a.m., Hamdan entered his house shortly after, then returned and fired shots by 7:31 a.m.. Police investigations revealed no prior relationship between Hamdan and Busuttil, although they lived nearby. Hamdan had only recently moved to the area.
During interrogation, Hamdan reportedly refused legal counsel, saying “My lawyer is God,” and confirmed multiple times that he fired the gun. He refused to provide his fingerprints and DNA and did not reveal the weapon’s location. He later claimed he was angry and that Busuttil had allegedly threatened to hurt his son.
In her video testimony, Busuttil’s widow said they were on their way to watch their daughter play volleyball when the fatal incident occurred. She said Hamdan became aggressive, and another man (Hamdan’s son) warned the LESA officer that his father was enraged and might “do something bad.”
The sitting was adjourned to Monday, 14 July.
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