Jurors in the trial of a man who is pleading not guilty to his involvement in a murder 20 years ago are expected to retire to deliberate today.

Defence lawyer Jose' Herrera said yesterday in his closing arguments that his client, George Pace, 58, did not know that the other two men involved were going to kill the victim. He thought they were only meant to rob him.

Carmelo Sant was charged with the murder and pleaded guilty on Monday while Michael Vella, who had also been arraigned on murder charges, has since died.

Dr Herrera added that the prosecution had not proved that his client had actually known the other men were going to kill 66-year-old Nazzereno Ebejer on April 8, 1989 at L-Aħrax in Mellieħa.

While Mr Pace had admitted that he, Mr Sant and Mr Vella had planned to rob Mr Ebejer, there was no arrangement between them to shoot and kill him. Prosecutor Aaron Bugeja said there were several inconsistencies between statements given by Mr Pace to the police in 2004 and his evidence in court.

It was clear, he said, that the three men had been confident that they would not be held for their crime because they killed their victim and left no evidence.

Mr Pace had claimed he did not realise that the other two men were going to shoot Mr Ebejer. But in a situation where a robbery had been planned, and one of those taking part carried a gun, was it possible for the accused to really fail to deduce that the situation would become more serious, he asked.

Mr Pace, in one of his police statements, had said that he actually saw Mr Sant shoot Mr Ebejer. But on Tuesday he said he heard the shots and then saw Mr Sant coming out of the room where the shooting took place. This was just one of several inconsistencies, Dr Bugeja said.

Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono, who is presiding over the trial, is expected to finish his summing up today. Lawyer Chris Cardona and Veronique Dalli also appeared for Mr Pace.