A jury has ruled that Noel Azzopardi was not insane when he shot dead Eric Borg on January 1, 2024, but also found that he is not fit to stand trial at present.
The verdict was delivered on Friday afternoon by the jury foreman, ending the five-day proceedings (ġurin) examining the insanity plea raised by the defence. Seven jurors voted that Azzopardi was not insane at the time of the shooting, while eight of nine jurors agreed that he is currently unfit to face trial.
Azzopardi, from Rabat, is accused of shooting Borg in Triq il-Fidloqqom in his hometown. He turned himself in to the Rabat police station shortly after the incident. He faces charges including wilful homicide, using a firearm to commit a crime, discharging a gun within 200 metres of an urban area, and failing to securely store his firearm and ammunition.
Under Maltese law, jurors in such proceedings do not decide guilt or innocence. Their task is limited to assessing the accused’s mental state at the time of the alleged offence. A finding that he was not insane clears the way for him to eventually stand trial, provided he is deemed fit.
In September 2024, court-appointed psychiatrists concluded that Azzopardi was incapable of forming criminal intent due to serious mental illness and intellectual difficulties. These findings were challenged by the Attorney General, prompting the ġurin.
Prior to deliberations, Mr Justice Neville Camilleri, who presided over the Criminal Court, instructed jurors on their duty to determine Azzopardi’s mental state at the time of the shooting.
The case saw prosecution led by Attorney General lawyers Kevin Valletta and Kylie Bonett, while the defence team comprised Arthur Azzopardi and Nicole Vassallo. The family of the victim was represented by Joe Giglio and Michaela Giglio.
With the jury’s verdict in, the court will now consider Azzopardi’s current mental fitness before any criminal trial for the killing of Eric Borg can proceed.
