A witness who overheard a convicted murderer boasting about taking part in a botched robbery during which a man was killed, was this afternoon warned about committing perjury as he testified against two men who are pleading not guilty of the crime.

Magistrate Josette Demicoli warned Justin Fenech about the consequences of committing perjury when he said he could not remember anything about what he had told police 12 years ago during investigations into the murder.

He was testifying in the case against James Vella, known as Il-Frejżer, and Chris Scerri, known as Buttuni or Gazzetti, over the murder of bank messenger Alphonse Ferriggi.

Mr Ferriggi was killed with a single shot to the head outside a Bank of Valletta branch in San Ġwann during a robbery in 2000. His attackers thought he was carrying money but he was about to deposit worthless letters and mail seconds before he was killed.

Mr Scerri and Mr Vella were charged last week after the police carried out a comprehensive review of the case and found corroborating evidence to the testimony of Mr Zammit who placed the men at the murder scene.

So far, two men, Joseph Zammit, 55, known as Żeppi Redgħu, and Richard Grech, 44, of Qormi, known as Iz-Zinanna, have been jailed over their involvement.

Mr Zammit received 30 years while Mr Grech was jailed for life.

In court today, a police statement released by Mr Fenech in 2002 was read out. In the statement Mr Fenech had said Mr Grech had boasted about being the one who took part in the botched robbery.

Mr Grech had told Mr Fenech that he had been scared and the gun he was holding had gone off as he was trembling. He also said Mr Vella and Mr Scerri were involved.

Asked by defence lawyer Franco Debono if the names of his clients were suggested to him by the investigating officers, Mr Fenech said that when he was questioned, there were 10 CID officers surrounding him and they suggested the names to him.

During proceedings, family members of the accused passed comments leading the magistrate to warn them twice about their behaviour.

In submissions on bail, Police Inspector Keith Arnaud said that the comments were subtle intimidation and bail should be denied for the evidence to be protected.

But Dr Debono said that the case happened 14 years ago and the evidence against the two men had already been published during the trials by jury of the men who had already been jailed.

Bail was denied.