An immigrant held in connection with the murder and burial of a colleague in what is suspected to have been a fit of jealous rage over a job, has been released from custody after the 48-hour legal detention period elapsed.

With investigators relying on trace evidence, sources said the suspect could not yet be arraigned because forensic tests were still under way. However, the sources added, should the results point at the illegal immigrant he would immediately be re-arrested and subsequently charged with murder.

The suspect did not cooperate with the police. Nevertheless, investigators are strongly suspecting he hit Adam Dabete, 30, across the head, probably with a rock, before burying him beneath a carob tree, just a stone's throw away from the open centre in Ħal Far, where they both lived. The body was found on Sunday evening.

The sources said the suspect was arrested shortly after investigators questioned a farmer who employed the two men to work his field in Mġarr. The farmer told the police the suspect had introduced him to Mr Dabete when he needed more manpower. He said he took a liking to the victim and, in fact, assigned him more jobs than he did the suspect. This led investigators to suspect that jealousy was the motive behind the murder.

The suspect was arrested on Monday morning but had to be released yesterday, after spending two days in custody.

Mr Dabete's body was found when other illegal immigrants followed traces of blood along the road. These led them to a field where they stumbled upon toes protruding from the soil. He was found lying in a foetal position under a shallow layer of soil with a nasty blow on the head. An autopsy on Tuesday indicated he died of a skull fractures and cerebral laceration.