Trial Opens for Ex-Soldier Accused of 2019 Racial Murder of Lassana Cisse
· Updated
In brief
- Former Armed Forces of Malta soldier Lorin Scicluna has gone on trial by jury for the 2019 murder of Lassana Cisse.
- Cisse, an Ivorian national, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Ħal Far widely regarded as Malta's first racially motivated murder.
- The trial before the Criminal Court marks a critical stage in the long-running prosecution following years of pre-trial proceedings.
The trial by jury of Lorin Scicluna, a former soldier in the Armed Forces of Malta accused of the 2019 murder of Lassana Cisse, began before the Criminal Court on Monday.
Scicluna faces charges of murder, attempted murder, and inciting racial hatred in connection with the fatal drive-by shooting that occurred in April 2019 along Triq tal-Ġebel in Ħal Far.
Cisse, a 42-year-old immigrant from Ivory Coast, was walking home to the Ħal Far open centre when shots were fired from a passing car. Two other migrants, who were also walking in the area at the time, suffered serious gunshot injuries in the attack but survived.
The killing shocked the country and is widely recognised as Malta's first racially motivated murder, prompting widespread debate over xenophobia, the safety of migrant communities, and vetting procedures within national security forces.
Scicluna was arrested alongside a fellow soldier shortly after the attack and later released on bail under strict conditions pending the conclusion of the compilation of evidence. The case against the two men was subsequently separated for trial.
The commencement of the jury trial marks the culmination of protracted legal proceedings that have spanned more than seven years since the shooting took place.
The Spin Room
Low media divide. Both outlets reported the opening of the trial by jury consistently and without notable framing divergence.
Updates
- : Updated with reporting from Lovin Malta and Times of Malta: Lorin Scicluna formally entered a plea of not guilty to all nine charges, which include the attempted murder of three other men.