A prostitute heard a male colleague screaming in pain but left with a client before returning to find his murderers covered in blood, a court heard yesterday.
Karen Rapinett said in court that Faical Mahouachi, 46, of Tunisia and 42-year-old Ismael Habesh, of Libya, killed Simon Grech in a dispute over drugs.
The two have been charged with murdering Mr Grech on April 5, 2005.
Ms Rapinett said that as she heard the victim screaming in pain, a client turned up and she left the scene only to return to find the accused covered in blood.
The men then threatened her, warning she would end up like the victim if she spoke about the incident.
Mr Grech was found on April 13 at about 4pm lying on his back amid a carpet of wild marigolds in a field situated near the roundabout known as Is-Salib tal-Marsa adjacent to the HSBC Bank. The body would have been impossible to spot from the road because the field is so overgrown.
Mr Grech’s body was found in an advanced state of decomposition by members of the vice squad during one of the searches conducted by the police following his disappearance.
Ms Rapinett told the court that the men were loitering in front of a bank in Marsa, waiting to pick up clients.
At one point, Mr Grech got into a car with someone, only to return later with one of his hands covered in blood.
Mr Grech said that he had tried to steal the client’s sunglasses and they got into a fight.
The two of them then walked to Tiger Bar where Mr Grech washed his hands and they returned to the bank.
The accused then turned up in a car. Mr Habesh got out and the victim asked why he had not asked him to join them while they took drugs.
An argument ensued and Mr Habesh started to beat Mr Grech, leaving him unconscious on the floor, the witness said.
Mr Mahouachi got out the car, lifted the victim and carried him to a nearby field.
Ms Rapinett said she saw Mr Habesh draw a knife from behind his back but could not see the victim because of tall weeds.
She heard Mr Grech shouting in pain before her client arrived and she left.
Ms Rapinett is expected to continue her testimony at the next sitting.