The compilation of evidence against a Romanian construction worker accused of causing the death of a Sudanese immigrant in Paceville last month has started in court.

Police Superintendant Stephen Gatt told the court that CCTV footage showed the accused Antonel Dobre raising his hand at migrant Osama Al Shazliay Saleh but did not show him actually strike the Sudanese - known to his friends as Sunshine.

A sequence of events started when friend of the accused, Rado, had gone to the toilet of a nightclub and on emerging bumped into Saleh and suffered a blow to his face from Saleh's elbow, causing some bleeding.

This was corroborated by a member of staff. 

Bouncers removed Saleh from the club and the accused and his friend left some 10 minutes later.

Footage from three CCTV cameras enabled the police to trace Saleh's movements after that.

Saleh could be seen talking to some girls at the top of the Paceville steps. He then turned around suddenly and walked off at a fast pace.

He was then seen near the accused. The accused was seen raising his hand, but the action did not appear to be a punch and looked more like a wave, the court was told.

The camera changed its angle before the police could see what happened next, and there was no footage of the accused actually hitting the victim.

However investigations showed that the accused later pushed the victim before moving off.

Dobre left Malta for Romania some five hours later. His departure, however, was planned and not an 'escape', the police said.

Once he learnt that the police were looking for him, Dobre bought a plane ticket to Malta and was actually at the airport on his way back when he was arrested on the strength of a European arrest warrant.