Police officers testify in compilation of evidence against Birkirkara murder suspect

The compilation of evidence against the man accused of the fatal stabbing of Roderick Grech in Birkirkara on 29 March continued with a number of police officers describing the scene of the crime.

Police say Grech, nicknamed ic-Cina, had been stabbed to death inside his car as a result of a failed drug deal with Etienne Bartolo, known as il-Vojt. 36-year-old Bartolo is charged with murder.

In previous sittings, the court was told that the two men had met inside the victim's car in Tumas Fenech Street to conclude a drug deal.

Bartolo had told the police that a fight had broken out between Grech, a drug dealer who would supply Bartolo, when he had admitted that he lacked the necessary funds and that he would hand over payment the following day and that he had stabbed the victim in self defence.

This morning, police officers told magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech that they had found the semi-conscious victim propped up against a wall as a passerby attempted to staunch the flow of blood from Grech's chest.

The three police officers testified that Grech's eyes were “almost closed” and that he said nothing to them. In an earlier sitting, a passerby had told the court that the victim repeatedly said the word “Vojt"- the accused's nickname.

The Birkirkara police station had received a phone call at around 1:00am from a woman who said that there was a car in the middle of the road behind the church and a bleeding man holding his stomach next to it, one officer said.

The officer had gone behind the church and directly in front of the local council offices, where he saw a man on the ground, with another man putting pressure on his chest. “I immediately recognised the injured man as Roderick Grech and started asking him who did it.” The victim did not respond to the questions, he said.  “He was on the verge of unconsciousness and his eyes were almost closed.”

Further up the road the officer said he saw Grech's Ford Fiesta with its door open and engine still running. Inside the vehicle, on the driver seat, there was what appeared to be blood. Two mobile telephones and a black pouch were found in the car.

Cross-examined by lawyer Edward Gatt, the officer said he could not confirm whether or not a sachet of drugs had been found in the car.

Another officer testified to having executed a search and arrest warrant on Etienne Bartolo, but Bartolo had not been at home. The sergeant had called him and agreed to meet him at the Rabat police station. In the meantime, his house was searched in the presence of Bartolo's father. A training shoe with what appeared to be traces of blood spatter was retrieved from the property, he said.

The compilation of evidence continues in June.

Inspector Kurt Zahra is prosecuting. Lawyer Edward Gatt was defence counsel.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Angie Muscat and Yanica Vidal are parte civile.