Jurors in the murder trial of Joseph Zammit, who is accused of the murder of bank messenger Alphonse Ferrigi today heard how a man overheard the accused saying that he was not the one who fired the fatal shot.

They also heard evidence by the accused’s girlfriend who said that he had not wanted to go with the others to commit the crime, but had done so on their insistence.

Mr Zammit is accused of having been involved in the murder of Mr Ferriggi, who was shot in the head almost nine years ago as he deposited mail at the Bank of Valletta branch in San Gwann. The prosecution said yesterday that four men were involved in the case.

Giving evidence this morning, Dominic Chircop said he had gone to a garage owned by Ninu Frendo to pay for a car he had bought. While there he overheard an argument between Mr Frendo and the accused where the accused said “I told him not to shoot him, I stayed at the field.”

Two months later, Mr Frendo asked him whether he had heard about the shooting, and they discussed it. Five months on, Mr Frendo approached him and asked him if he would like to go to the police and they had done so together and spoken about the case.

Rita Gauci, the accused’s girlfriend, said she had been living with Mr Zammit for 22 years.

On the day of the murder, they heard somebody knocking on their door early in the morning . She answered it and found three men who told her they wanted Mr Zammit to go with them. He initially refused but then gave in to their insistence.

Evidence was also given this morning by forensics experts who spoke on how they found the victim lying half on the pavement, his head in a pool of blood after having been shot. A car parked in front of the bank had one of its windows smashed.

The trial continues.