Defence, prosecution trade final arguments in murder trial

The defence counsel of George Pace, who stands charged with the murder of Nazzareno Ebejer, 66, in a country room near Mellieha 20 years ago, argued in court today that the proseution had not proved that his client knew of any plan for the murder to take place.

Dr Jose' Herrera said that while Mr Pace had admitted that he, Carmelo Sant and (the late) Carmelo Vella had planned to rob Mr Ebejer, there was no common design to shoot and kill the victim. Nor had this been proved by the prosecution.

Prosecutor Aaron Bugeja said there were several inconsistencies in statements given by Mr Pace to the police in 2004, and his evidence in court yesterday.

It was clear, he said, that the three men had been confident that they would not be held for their crime because they killed their victim and left no evidence.

Mr Pace had claimed that he did not realise that the other two men were going to shoot Mr Ebejer. But in a situation where a robbery had been planned, and one of those taking part carried a gun, was it possible for the accused to really not deduce that the situation would become more serious?

Mr Pace, in one of his police statements, had said that he had actually seen Carmelo Sant shoot Mr Ebejer. But yesterday he said he heard the shots and then saw Mr Sant coming out of the room where the shooting took place. This was just one of several inconsistencies, Dr Bugeja said.

Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono, who is presiding over the trial, is expected to start his summing up this afternoon and the jurors are expected to retire for their deliberations tomorrow.