A man yesterday admitted to a cold-blooded murder for money 20 years ago which the prosecution described as "pointless" as no cash was found on the victim.

Nazzareno Ebejer, 66, was shot twice at point-blank range, one in the head and another in the chest, inside a small room used by hunters at L-Aħrax in Mellieħa on April 8, 1989.

Two men were meant to stand trial over the murder yesterday. However, Carmelo Sant, also known as Ħarbat, admitted to committing the crime before the proceedings began and now awaits sentencing.

The second man, George Pace, 58, known as Il-Berqa, who is accused of taking part in the murder decided to contest the charges against him.

A third man, Michael Vella, also known as Il-Fish, had been charged with the murder and pleaded not guilty but has since died.

During the first sitting in Mr Pace's trial by jury yesterday, photos of the victim's body were exhibited in court, showing the horrific extent of Mr Ebejer's wounds.

Prosecutor Aaron Bugeja told the jurors in his opening speech that the victim had been murdered "for nothing".

Mr Ebejer, he said, would boast of the amount of money he carried around with him until one day the three men hatched a plan to rob him.

They invited Mr Ebejer out for something to eat and then told him to go along with them to a field where they said they wanted to clean up a small room used by hunters.

Mr Sant and Mr Vella entered the room with Mr Ebejer and shot him twice, Dr Bugeja said. They then removed his trousers, leaving him in his underpants, a shirt and a sock.

Taking the witness stand, Police Inspector Chris Pullicino said Mr Pace had made three statements to the police in September 2004 in which he spoke of his direct involvement in the case.

He told the police that the three had agreed to rob Mr Ebejer but said he did not know that Mr Sant and Mr Vella were going to kill him.

In the statements, which were played in the court room, he added that after he heard two shots being fired, he saw Mr Sant and Mr Vella searching the victim's trousers for money but found nothing.

Feeling sorry for Mr Ebejer, he walked over to the body and made the sign of the cross on his head.

A black shotgun allegedly used in the killing as well as pictures from the autopsy were shown to the jurors.

Testifying, pathologist Ali Safraz said Mr Ebejer had swallowed his tongue and had died from blood loss due to gunshot wounds to his heart, liver and lungs.

Paul Micallef, Mr Sant's nephew, said his uncle had sold him a gun for €350 shortly after the murder, however, he had only paid him half the amount because his uncle was still to give him the necessary licence and register the transfer of ownership.

However, the papers never arrived and the gun remained at his house until the police showed up 15 years later to investigate the case.

Lawyers Chris Cardona, Jose' Herrera and Veronique Dalli appeared for the accused.