A young man who died following a violent fight in Marsa last June was killed by multiple stab wounds he suffered during that scuffle, forensic experts told a court on Friday.

Isaac Kwabena Kyere, 23, was pronounced dead at Mater Dei Hospital on June 10.

Amo Frank Kwaku, 25 and from Ghana, faces charges of having killed him. He is pleading not guilty to charges.

The two men are believed to have started arguing over a bottle of whisky, with two eyewitnesses telling the police that the argument spilling out onto Triq it-Tigrija after starting in a nearby residence.

RIU officers who first reached the site have testified about how they had found the wounded victim lying in a pool of blood, still breathing but in danger of dying.

Kyere died soon after at Mater Dei Hospital. Medico-legal expert Mario Scerri examined the body of the alleged victim minutes after midnight.

The examination took place at the hospital mortuary and the victim bore signs of grievous injuries inflicted by a sharp and pointed instrument, explained Scerri when testifying at the compilation of evidence before magistrate Ian Farrugia.

Those injuries consisted of multiple stab wounds and incised wounds, all inflicted with a pointed weapon having one sharp edge and mainly targeting the upper part of the victim’s body.

The injuries affected internal organs and also the jugular vein, thus accounting for the profuse bleeding.

Other injuries on the palms and anterior aspect of the hands were classified as defence wounds, usually suffered when the victim tries to disarm his aggressor or defend himself against the blows.

The court expert had also examined the alleged aggressor, Kwaku, at the Ħamrun police station later that night.

Kwaku had cuts on his fingertips.

Asked by AG lawyer Anthony Vella whether those injuries were compatible with defence wounds, Scerri replied that such injuries were normally suffered when a blood-covered knife slipped out of grasp. 

“Blood is very slippery and the knife would be covered in blood,” explained the expert, adding that the aggressor would injure himself slightly when his fingers slipped over the sharp instrument.

Forensic pathologists Ali Salfraz and David Pisani who conducted the post-mortem examination on June 12 testified that the cause of death as hypovolemic shock due to five major stab wounds, one of which had hit the right ventricle of the heart. 

The case continues in January. 

Inspector Stacy Gatt prosecuted, assisted by AG lawyer Anthony Vella. Lawyer Daniel Attard was defence counsel.