Joseff Rivas was stabbed “20 or more” times on a Paceville street, with forensic pathologists saying that three of those blows proved fatal. 

Two pathologists who performed the post-mortem examination two days after the murder told a court on Thursday that cause of death was certified as hypovolemic shock due to severe blood loss.

On Thursday, the compilation of evidence resumed against Romanian nationals Ilie Constantin and his cousins, brothers Ionut Iulian Tanase and Dan Andrei Tanase, who deny wilful homicide, arguing self defence. 

The case concerns a violent incident that broke out in broad daylight on December 5, 2022 when Rivas and two other men approached the trio who were having a drink outside a cafeteria on Ross Street. 

An argument apparently ensued over some prostitution-related earnings and the situation escalated into a full-blown fight during which Rivas was fatally stabbed. 

The victim was a suspected Romanian crime group member, allegedly sent to kill the three accused, believed to be “pimps”, a court previously heard. 

All three are still under preventive arrest. 

The murder took place in daylight in Paceville. Photo: Malta Police Force

On Thursday, the court heard how attempts to resuscitate the alleged victim upon admission at hospital’s emergency unit, failed. 

There were lacerations on his chest and multiple blows, evidently inflicted with a knife with one sharp edge, testified medico-legal expert Mario Scerri who explained that the cause of death was haemorrage. 

The doctor had also examined the three suspected aggressors at the police headquarters. 

One of them, Ionut, had abrasions on the elbows and the tip of one finger was cut off. 

Constantin had an incision on the side and a lesion on the stomach, as well as bruising and incisions on the hand. 

Dan Andrei’s injuries were classified as slight. 

The expert said that all injuries were compatible to pointed instruments with one sharp edge. 

However, he could not determine who held the weapons during the brawl, said Scerri. 

Forensic pathologists David Pisani and Ali Salfraz presented their joint report on the autopsy that was carried out on December 7. 

The cause of death was certified as hypovolemic shock due to the severe blood loss as a result of the stab wounds, which were “twenty or more.” 

But three of those proved fatal. 

One was inflicted on the left side of the chest, penetrating the chest wall and pericardium, the other penetrated the chest wall near the stomach while the third fatal blow pierced the small intestine. 

Two officers from the Rapid Intervention Unit testified about their involvement in the search at a St Julian’s apartment block on the same evening of the murder. 

One of them was on patrol when he got a call from Inspector Kurt Zahra from the Homicide Squad to assist in the search.

The common entrance door was ajar and the officers entered, knocking at all the apartment doors in the block. 

No one answered at two of the flats and so the officers had to force their way inside. 

A woman was found in one of the flats. But no arrests were carried out. 

Two policemen from the St Julian’s station described the scene when they were alerted to the stabbing incident at around 3.30pm. 

One of the officers said the victim was seated on the ground and unresponsive, with blood oozing out of his back and neck. 

The other officer said that the victim was lying on the pavement, lots of blood seeping out of his back. 

The witness described the victim as a foreigner, in his thirties and tall.

While first aiders assisted the injured man, he did not speak, the witness recalled. 

Another officer, involved in the investigations, testified about CCTV footage from the crime scene which showed the three suspects running away in the direction of Burger King. 

One of the men possibly had a knife tucked under his hoodie sleeve. 

Iulian followed, a grey hoodie in hand.

The third suspect was all in black. 

Later that same evening, all three suspects turned themselves in at the St Julian’s police station.

Ionut subsequently accompanied investigators in the search of the apartment where the accused had been living, explaining that he had thrown the knife out of a window. 

However, that weapon was never retrieved. 

The defence once again called upon the prosecution to produce evidence relative to the victim’s character, arguing that this was a case of self defence. 

That evidence impinged upon the accused’s request for bail. 

The case, presided over by magistrate Astrid May Grima, continues. 

AG lawyers Kaylie Bonnet  and Darlene Grima prosecuted, together with Inspectors Kurt Zahra and Brian Xuereb.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Charmaine Cherrett, Arthur Azzopardi and Jacob Magri are defence counsel.