A couple told a court how they witnessed a red Peugeot run over a 10-year-old Libyan boy in St Andrew's last month.

John Davis and his wife, Jessica, took the witness stand before Magistrate Carol Peralta in the compilation of evidence against Turkish Fatih Pancar, 38, of St Paul's Bay who is pleading not guilty to involuntarily causing the death of 10-year-old Rodwan Aghil, from Libya, on May 30 at about 3.30pm.

The couple were driving along the Coast Road in the direction of St Julian's and, as they approached the bend near the ex-Forum hotel, they were overtaken by the red Peugeot.

Mr Davis, who was at the wheel, said he was driving at about 40 to 50 kilometres per hour and the Peugeot was driving faster. He said his wife, who was a driving instructor, commented that the driver was being an idiot as he should not be overtaking on a bend.

The couple looked inside the car and saw the driver and a male passenger. After the car overtook them they continued driving behind it and drove through the traffic lights. Mr Davis said that, as far as he recalled, the lights were not working and the amber light was flashing.

"It was strangely quiet that day. Not many cars," he said.

When they arrived near the lotto booth, the red car was about 100 feet in front of them.

"I heard a hit and screech at the same time... As soon as I looked up the boy was considerably in the air. Very high in fact... the car was on the wrong side and stopped by the bus stop.... Then the driver got out of the car and was crying... screaming hysterically. The passenger went to console him," he said.

Both Mr Davis and his wife said they did not see the boy cross the road or the actual impact.

In an emotional testimony his wife said she was talking to her husband when she noticed the car in front of them swerve to the right.

"Then I saw something hit... The boy went up in the air. About 10 feet," she said excusing herself for crying.

"My first impression was someone falling out of the car... My husband told me: Don't look.... The first time I saw the boy he was in the air," she said adding that the car swerved at the time of impact.

Ms Davis' voice trembled again as she described how the driver of the car got out: "He was on his knees crying and shouting," she said adding that two nurses then went to assist the boy.

Turkish Ersin Hulur said that that day he went with Mr Pancar to buy drinks for Mr Pancar's Gzira shop - from Piscopo in St Paul's Bay. On their way back to Gzira they passed through the Coast Road. As far as he recalled Mr Pancar was driving at "normal" speed of about 50 or "maximum 60" kilometres per hour.

The road was quiet and they passed through the lights that were green.

Speaking in broken English, he described how he then saw something suddenly head at the windscreen and covered his face with his hands. He said it was like it came down from the sky. He had not seen anyone waiting to cross.

Mr Pancar stopped the car. Both were in shock. Then they saw the boy. "This was first time for me that something like this happened in my life," he said.

People started shouting to call the police and the ambulance but he could not reach into his pocket to grab his phone because he was paralysed with shock.

Mr Pancar dropped down to his knees near the boy and handed him his phone to call the police.

"But I can't type in the numbers," he said.

Police Inspector Carol Fabri said that police were informed that a boy had been run over but had no means of identification. Two nurses who happened to be at Luxol assisted the boy and, later, Mr Pancar who was under shock. The boy was taken to hospital.

Police searched the area for anyone who knew anything including the nearby Luxol grounds. Internal instructions were given to direct anyone who reported a child missing to the St Julian's police station.

Meanwhile police were informed that the boy died at 4.33pm.

At about 8pm two people turned up at the station - they were the boy's sister and uncle. After they described what he was wearing, officers took them to hospital and they identified the boy at the morgue.

Later on the boy's father and brothers arrived at the hospital and Mr Pancar was arrested and arraigned.

Ms Fabri said it resulted that he had been driving in the direction of St Julian's and his car, which had a damaged bonnet and windscreen, was found parked on the opposite carriageway.

Police Inspectors Fabri and Trevor Micallef prosecuted.

Lawyer Jason Azzopardi and Kris Busietta are representing Mr Pancar.