Birkirkara stabbing victim shouted ‘vojt’ moments before he died

A young man who died after being stabbed shouted his alleged aggressor’s nickname three times before collapsing to the ground, the court was told.

Roderick Grech, 26, died two days after the stabbing incident and Etienne Bartolo, 36 of Birkirkara, stands accused of the murder.

Bartolo is also known as ‘il-Vojt’.

Jean Pierre Pace, who on the night of the stabbing was returning home, recounted how he saw a young man staggering down Tumas Fenech Street in Birkirkara before collapsing to the ground.

Pace, who recognised the victim, said he rushed to the young man’s aid whilst Grech pleaded to him to call an ambulance.

Grech repeatedly pronounced the word “vojt”, although it meant little to Pace at the time. The victim also told him that he loved his mother and father.

Pace said that he held Grech in his arms and kissed his forehead as they waited for an ambulance.

A second witness, Kristo Sanjic, said he was on his way home when he saw a person on the ground and another one helping him. At first he thought that one of them was drunk, but then he saw the blood.

Police officer Moira Cortis was in the area when she heard the loud screeching of brakes and a car horn; she saw a man clutching his stomach and shouting “Gejtu!” The man – Grech – disappeared into a block of apartments only to remerge a few minutes later.

The police spoke to Gejtu – Gejtu Bonnici – who lives in the block of apartments Grech was seen entering into. He said that he woke up to the police knocking on his door and saw that blook was splattered on his front door and the stairway.

Inspector Kurt Zahra prosecuted. Lawyer Edward Gatt is defence counsel. Lawyers Franco Debono, Angie Muscat and Yanica Vidal appeared parte civile.

The case continues.