Two Libyans were this morning charged with the murder of a Colombian national after they spent days on the run.

Zyad Mohamed Drebeka, 23 from Swieqi, and Ahmed Rasem Franko, 29, were arrested in Gozo on Wednesday in an apartment in San Lawrenz after residents noted suspicious movements.

Mr Drebeka told Magistrate Monica Vella that he was a student while Mr Franko said he was unemployed.

Prosecuting officers Keith Arnaud and Nikolai Sant charged them with the murder of Carlos Augusto de la Espriella Perez on May 19 at around 3am in Paceville.

They were also charged with breaching public peace.

Mr Franka alone was charged with breaching bail conditions and his €1,000 deposit and €2,000 personal guarantee were confiscated.

They pleaded not guilty.

Lawyers Veronique Dalli and Arthur Azzopardi did not request bail and the pair were remanded in custody.

The Libyan men attacked the 37-year-old Colombian, who was in Malta to study English.

He first suffered a blow to his head with what is believed to have been a glass, followed by repeated punches to his head, according to sources who saw CCTV footage.

The argument took place outside the club.

Mr Augusto lost a considerable amount of blood and was then rushed to Mater Dei Hospital’s Intensive Therapy Unit where he fought for his life for three days before he succumbed to his injuries on Sunday.