A man being questioned by the police about a murder committed 15 years earlier burst into tears and revealed the whole story, disclosing the identity of two accomplices, a court heard yesterday.

Police Inspector Christopher Pullicino explained how while investigating the 1989 murder of Nazzareno Ebejer, which was assigned to him last year, an informer directed him towards George Pace.

Pace was eventually called in for questioning. That was when he broke down and told the police he was present, with Michael Vella, when Carmelo Sant shot Ebejer, whom they had intended to rob.

The police officer was testifying before Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani Grima in the compilation of evidence against wheelchair-bound Michael Vella, 65, known as il-fish, Carmelo Sant, 53, known as Karmenu harbat, and Pace, also 53, known as il-berqa, who are pleading not guilty to the 66-year-old man's murder at l-Ahrax, in Mellieha, in April 1989.

They are further charged with attempted theft and the possession of a shotgun and ammunition without a licence.

Vella is also charged with relapsing.

The witness explained that on April 9, 1989, Philip and Natalino Zammit had stopped a police car and reported a dead body in a room at l-Ahrax in Mellieha. officers went on site where they saw a man lying on the ground with several wounds to the face and chest.

It was eventually established that the man was Nazzareno Ebejer who had lived abroad for some time but had moved to Birkirkara and who frequented the old railway station there.

Investigating officers at the time spoke to several people including Pace who worked at the station. Pace was questioned as a witness and told the police about the last time he had seen Ebejer.

The officer explained that as from last October the case was assigned to him and he decided to scrutinise what people had said throughout the years. As he was looking into the case he was informed that Pace and Vella were directly involved together with a third person whom the informer was not in a position to identify.

The informer told the inspector that on the day of the incident the three men had agreed to take Ebejer out for a meal with the intention of robbing him.

On September 2 this year, the inspector added, he called for Pace who went to the police headquarters voluntarily. There the inspector questioned Pace about what he had said when interrogated in 1989 but the versions did not match. That was when Pace burst into tears and decided to reveal everything.

"He said that Karmenu harbat, Michael Vella and himself had taken Nazzareno Ebejer to the area. He explained where he parked his car, how the men walked through a pathway and how, after Ebejer was shot, they removed his clothes to search his pockets for cash but did not find anything."

Pace told the inspector that Ebejer used to boast that he always carried his money on him. He also said that Sant fired the gun and it was Sant who took the gun with him to Mellieha and took it back home after the incident.

Later on that day, Pace accompanied the police to the area and showed them the path the four men had driven through, from Il-Licca tal-Madonna to L-Ahrax, where he then parked his car.

He showed the police the pathway they had walked through to get to the room and showed them where he was standing when Ebejer was shot.

The next day, September 3, Sant was arrested and questioned. He initially denied his involvement and said he hardly knew Pace or Vella but when he was confronted with Pace he admitted being there and firing a gun in Ebejer's direction.

Sant also gave the police reason to believe he was not the only one who fired the gun. He told the police that soon after the incident he sold the gun to a relative of his, Paul Micallef.

Police also escorted Sant to the Mellieha room where he pointed out the route taken that day. His version corroborated that of Pace.

The police then spoke to Micallef who showed them a gun he had bought from Sant some 14 - 15 years ago. The police confiscated the gun, a Luigi Franci model, which was exhibited in court yesterday.

The inspector further explained that when the police went to the area were Sant lived in order to take him in for questioning they asked a neighbour if he knew a man known as Karmenu harbat. The neighbour indicated his residence and warned them to be careful as he might shoot them.

The inspector said Sant escaped through the back door and the officers entered his house where they found a telephone number in a pair of trousers. They dialled the number which, it turned out, belonged to a woman who told the police that Sant was meant to go to her house at 4 p.m. Te police went to the woman's house and Sant was arrested on arrival.

Next, the police inspector recalled, officers were granted a warrant to arrest Vella from St Vincent De Paul where he was residing.

Like Sant, Vella initially denied his involvement but when the police told him they were ready to confront him he admitted he was with Sant and Pace and explained what he did from beginning to end.

Vella also told the police that as the four men were on their way to Mellieha they stopped to give a lift to two people to Cirkewwa. Then, on their way out of Mellieha after the shooting, the three men passed by a mobile police car and feared they would get caught.

Assistant Police Commissioner Emanuel Cassar and Police Superintendent Pierre Calleja also testified about their involvement in the investigation.

The case continues.