Four bouncers were today cleared by a jury of the attempted murder of a man who claimed a racist attack.

David Bonello, 52, of Għargħur, Charlton Abela, 29, from Cospicua, Roderick Attard, 26, of Kalkara and Anthony Azzopardi, 31, from Buġibba were found not guilty by an 8-1 margin of trying to kill Felix Idisi Oduh on June 24, 2007, at 1.30 a.m. outside Fuego nightclub in Paceville.

During the trial, the victim admitted he was after money and said he would have dropped the case against his alleged aggressors if they came up with cash.

Mr Oduh had told the trial that on the night he had tried to get inside the club with Nigerian friend Olori Lucky, his girlfriend Catherine Graham, Nigerian John Michael and another woman named Filo. They were stopped by Mr Azzopardi who asked for their passports and then a student card and denied them entry. A fight then broke out.

CCTV footage shown during the trial appeared to show the victims being aggressive with the accused.

The manager of Fuego, Felix Barbara, said he had been called to the main gate of the establishment by Mr Azzopardi, who told him that there were people who were refused entry but insisted on getting in.

Mr Barbara testified that he told them the decision by the bouncers was final. At that point, the group started insulting them and accusing him of being racist.

Smiling, Mr Barbara asked how could they be racist if they employed a Nigerian disc jockey and even held student parties called "nations meet nations".

He said the bouncers then formed a human chain and slowly pushed the men towards the door when they became violent. Once outside the club, Mr Lucky got hold of Mr Attard and pulled him out of the premises.

The other three bouncers had remained inside the club and only emerged after Mr Lucky forcefully pushed Mr Attard across the road and threw him on to a table full of glasses belonging to another nightclub.

Mr Barbara said both Mr Oduh and Mr Lucky punched Mr Attard while he was on the floor. Mr Oduh and Mr Lucky returned to and started shaking the main gate and arguing with the bouncers, he added.

Medical doctor Matthew Cassar said Mr Oduh was conscious when he arrived at the emergency department, although he was in a critical condition. A main vein in his neck had been hit but he was not bleeding profusely.

Olori Lucky has already been convicted and jailed for a month after he admitted to slightly injuring bouncer Roderick Attard in the same incident.