A man accused of killing his drug dealer in 2017 had admitted with police to having waved a penknife at him when he refused to give him cocaine on credit. 

Etienne Bartolo told investigators he took the penknife out from his pocket when the victim, Roderick Grech, punched him on the shoulder after refusing to give him a sachet of cocaine and get paid for it the following day.

He also expressed remorse for what he had done, Police Inspector Kurt Zahra told a panel of jurors on Tuesday. 

Grech, known as Ic-China, was killed after having allegedly been involved in an argument with Mr Bartolo, known as  il-Vojt, over a drug deal.

Bartolo, 39, is pleading not guilty to murder.

“When he was called in for questioning, he told us that he had stabbed him and gave us a blow-by-blow account of what happened on the night of March 29, 2017. The following day, when I told him Grech had died, Etienne was sorry for what he had done,” Inspector Zahra said. 

Zahra explained how a turning point in the investigation was when the police spoke to a man who happened to be on the scene soon after the stabbing and had heard the dying victim whisper “Il-Vojt” three times before breathing his last breath. The victim suffered six stab wounds on the back of his neck, chest, hands and legs.

When he was arrested, Bartolo admitted to his involvement and told the police he had thrown the penknife in a black rubbish bag he found close by. He put his bloodstained clothes in the laundry basket for washing. 

Zahra said the car being driven by Grech at the time of the murder had been leased to alleged druglord Jordan Azzopardi who was also called in for questioning. At first he did not cooperate with the police and was arrested. 

Inside the car, the police found two mobile phones. One of them had two recent calls from Bartolo, lasting just 22 and 17 seconds shortly before the stabbing, as well as several messages and other calls from several other people who wanted to buy drugs. 

The trial continues. 

Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera is presiding over the trial.

Lawyers Kevin Valletta and Maria Francesca Spiteri from the Office of the Attorney General are prosecuting.

Lawyers Edward Gatt and Mark Vassallo are defence counsel.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia are appearing parte civile.