A passer-by applied pressure to the chest wound of a stabbing victim without any success, the court heard today.
The passer-by failed to save the life of Roderick Grech, known as iċ-Ċina, who was stabbed in Birkirkara in the early hours of March 29.
The fact emerged during the compilation of evidence against Etienne Bartolo, nicknamed il-Vojt, 36 from Birkirkara, who stands charged with the murder of Mr Grech, allegedly after a drug deal gone wrong.
A fight broke out when he confessed that he did not have the money with him and that he would pay the following day
Mr Grech allegedly regularly supplied him with drugs and the two had met inside Mr Grech’s car in Tumas Fenech Street to make a deal. However, according to Mr Bartolo, a fight broke out when he confessed that he did not have the money with him and that he would pay the following day.
The court, presided over by Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech, heard the testimony of three police officers who went to the scene of the crime. All of them confirmed that the victim had his eyes almost completely shut and that he did not utter a single word as he lay on the pavement, with blood oozing out of a chest wound.
One of the officers, who recognised the victim, began to call out 'Roderick! Roderick!' but got no response.
Another officer from the Rapid Intervention Unit explained that he had arrived at the scene shortly after 1am and had found the victim propped up against the facade of a cafeteria, with a very weak pulse. He said that contrary to what had been stated by a civil witness in an earlier sitting, the victim did not utter a single word while they were waiting for the ambulance.
An inspection of the victim's Ford Fiesta, which was parked in the middle of the street with lights on and the driver's door open, revealed a black pouch and two mobile phones on the driver's seat.
However, the car had not been searched by the RIU officers and therefore, when questioned by the defence, these witnesses could not tell whether any drug sachets had been discovered inside the vehicle.
The compilation of evidence continues in June.
Inspector Kurt Zahra prosecuted. Lawyer Edward Gatt was defence counsel and lawyers Franco Debono, Angie Muscat and Yanica Vidal are parte civile.