Jurors today found Noel Farrugia , 35, from Marsa not guilty with six votes against three of attempting to murder Libyan Omar Faiz El Sallak on July 22, 2010, with whom he was allegedly sharing cocaine.

The Libyan had told the court they were sharing cocaine when he all of a sudden he felt something prick him and started to lose a lot of blood. Mr Farrugia, Mr el Sallak claimed, pushed him down the stairs and told him; "Allah hu akbar".

He said that after he was stabbed, he held his abdomen to keep his intestines inside, went to his car, grabbed an axe and smashed Mr Farrugia's motorcycle.

This version of events was, however, described as a lie by a defence lawyers, who said it was incredulous how a man who was losing blood and had his intestines coming out of a gaping hole in his stomach had the energy to smash a motorcycle with an axe.

Lawyers Kevin Valletta and Vincienne Vella from the Attorney General's prosecuted while lawyers Edward Gatt and Mark Vassallo appeared for the Mr Farrugia.

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