A police inspector told the court yesterday that he had met Dr Michael Grech just 20 minutes before the lawyer was murdered.

Inspector Antonello Grech took the stand in the case against David Zerafa, 31, from Nadur, who is accused of killing Dr Grech on 25 May 2004 in Marsalforn at around 10.15pm.

The body of the lawyer was found face down in a garage under construction in St Mary Street off Xtut Street, in Marsalforn, on the evening of 25 May last year. Zerafa allegedly committed the murder with another, as yet unidentified, person. He is also charged with holding Dr Grech against his will, firing a weapon in an inhabited area and being in possession of a firearm. He is pleading not guilty to all charges.

The witness told the court how he and two other people had spoken to Dr Grech at around 9.55pm that evening in St Augustine Square. He remembered the lawyer had several files under his arm and had exclaimed: “We have a lot of work in court tomorrow.”

The inspector then referred to the telephone call he received from a police officer, informing him of a murder in Marsalforn. He went to the scene only to find Dr Grech’s lifeless body face down in a garage. “This was the same Dr Grech I had seen only 20 minutes earlier,” said Inspector Grech.

At the previous sitting, prosecuting inspector Christopher Pullicino had taken the stand and explained how the police were notified of the accused’s involvement in the murder. He said that Zerafa had given details of the murder to two other people, who had then come forward to the police. After initially denying he had said any such thing, Zerafa then admitted he had recounted the tale, but claimed that he had done so as a joke and a bluff.

Inspector Pullicino also mentioned that the victim’s wife, Maria Grech, had practically come face-to-face with one of her husband’s hooded assailants and had seen what she called “his particular almond-shaped eyes.”

Inspector Grech also referred to this during his testimony and said that Mrs Grech had picked out the accused twice: during an identity parade and also when she was given nine photographs of people made to look as if they were wearing a balaclava.

In addition, the witness gave a description of the crime scene and explained how blood spatters were seen on the landing of Dr Grech’s apartment block. He added that there was a pool of blood in the road, Dr Grech’s broken spectacles were nearby and there were also drag marks.

It is believed that the aggressors were waiting for the lawyer on the landing of his apartment and attacked him as he reached his front door.

They supposedly beat him and ran after him as he managed to run into the road. The assailants allegedly continued to beat Dr Grech, then dragged him into the garage where he was eventually found, and continued to beat him until they realised they had been seen by two people, who chose to remain anonymous, and ran off.

At the end of yesterday’s sitting, the prosecution asked for these two eye-witnesses to give their testimony via video conferencing. Presiding magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera noted that there is no video conference facility in the Gozo court. “I cannot perform miracles,” she said, and therefore ordered the Gozo Court Director to be notified of this request.

The case continues as the decision as to whether these two people will be testifying in the inquiry still has to be taken.

Inspectors Pullicino and Grech prosecuted and Dr Vincent Galea appeared for the accused.