Hugo Chetcuti died of bloodstream infection caused by stabbing autopsy
The compilation of evidence against Bojan Cmelik, who is accused of the murder of entrepreneur Hugo Chetcuti, continued yesterday.
In a brief hearing yesterday afternoon, the court pathologists who carried out Chetcuti’s autopsy confirmed that the cause of death was a bloodstream infection caused by the bowel perforation resulting from the stabbing.
Pathologists Dr. Marie Therese Camilleri Podesta and Dr. Ali Safraz have given a court a report of their findings in their examination of the body of Hugo Chetcuti, confirming to magistrate Marse Anne Farrugia that the cause of death was septicaemia.
Death was caused by perforation of the bowel through the stab wound and generalised infection, they said.
The two pathologists had carried out the post-mortem examination of the victim, and determined the cause of death as widespread infection after bowel perforation.
Also testifying yesterday morning was blood and DNA expert Dr. Marisa Cassar who confirmed that DNA samples from Cmelik's clothes, straw hat and trainers matched the accused. DNA on the knife blade matched Chetcuti, while samples from the handle matched the accused, the victim, and a third person. The match probability of Cmelik's DNA on the handle was lower than usual.
In a previous sitting, Magistrate Farrugia had ruled that there was enough evidence for the accused to stand trial over the July stabbing. In the last hearing on September 10, the court heard how Chetcuti was rushed into surgery after the stabbing, having suffered massive blood-loss.
Surgeons who saw to the victim at Mater Dei Hospital testified how he was completely stable after a first operation, but that later complications led to multiple organ failure in the space of three days. Chetcuti died six days after the stabbing, after contracting an infection in hospital.
Inspector Nikolai Sant is prosecuting, lawyer Ishmael Psaila is defence counsel. Lawyers Joseph Giglio and Sarah Mifsud are appearing parte civile.