A witness in the murder trial of Glen Pullicino yesterday said Pullicino told him he had thrown a penknife under a car after striking Brian Tabone, but the witness later explained that Pullicino never mentioned names during their conversation.
Kevin Psaila said that when he went to Pullicino's house to speak to him about the fight that broke out outside Bamboo Bar in Paceville, the accused "was shaking as though he was scared".
"It was cold that night... I asked him what had happened and he told me he had struck him with a penknife... He told me he had thrown it under a car after hitting Brian Tabone," Psaila initially told the trial by jury.
However, when cross examined by Pullicino's defense counsel, Dr Giannella Caruana Curran, Psaila said Pullicino told him he had hit someone with the penknife but no names were mentioned. He had concluded that Pullicino was referring to Tabone because he knew that the fight had led to his death.
Pullicino, 17, of Zebbug, is pleading not guilty to the murder of 23-year-old Brian Tabone outside Bamboo Bar on March 17, 2002, at about 5.45 p.m.
During his testimony Psaila said that as he was walking towards Bamboo Bar, from Snooker Hall, he saw Mario Baldacchino, Michael and Philip Scicluna, Glen Pullicino and Pullicino's brother Christopher involved in a fight.
He also saw Francis Farrugia in the fight holding what looked like a wine opener and Tabone hold his stomach and fall to the ground.
Psaila said he phoned Pullicino on his mobile phone and asked him where he was. When Pullicino told him he was on his way home he told him not to come back to Paceville because "the man had died".
He said he phoned Pullicino because he knew him and not because he had seen him do anything in particular.
Psaila went on to explain that later on that day he went to Pullicino's house to speak to him about the fight and Pullicino told him he struck a man with a penknife. He also said that Pullicino had once told him that he kept a knife on him but he never saw it.
When cross examined by Dr Caruana Curran, Psaila said that when he went to Pullicino's house he hooted and Pullicino went outside accompanied by his brother and his father. Pullicino spoke to him about the incident when his brother and father went back inside.
However, during a confrontation, Pullicino's brother Christopher said that when Psaila hooted only he went outside while his brother Glen remained in his room.
Psaila was asked if he had blood on his hands on the day of the fight. "I don't think so," he replied. Asked if he had gone to Snooker Hall to wash his hands from the blood he said he had not.
At this point Dr Caruana Curran told him to be careful about the way he replied because she had evidence. She later asked him if he remembered that Christopher Agius and Dione were with him when he went to wash his hands. He said he did not.
Jurors yesterday heard several staff members of Bamboo Bar testify in detail. These included the manager Mark Bugeja, head of security Lawrence Triganza, bouncers Noel Borg, Sammy Grima, Anthony Portelli and Raymond Falzon and a DJ at the bar Horace Borg.
The trial, presided by Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono, continues on Monday.
Assistant Attorney General Anthony Barbara is prosecuting.
Dr Giannella Caruana Curran, Dr Emanuel Mallia, Dr Michael Sciriha and Dr John Attard Montalto are appearing for Pullicino.