A PROSECUTION witness in the trial of a Lithuanian man charged with murdering a young father in Tipperary has told the jury there was “chaos” on the night of the killing, when the accused man turned up at a Christmas party.
Robertas Sujetovas (34), a factory worker from Lithuania, told the Central Criminal Court he had been celebrating Christmas Day 2008 with his friend of 25 years, Gintaras Brazauskas, and others at his apartment in Nenagh town.
Speaking through an interpreter, the witness said he, Mr Brazauskas (29), and another friend, identified in court only as “Paulus”, had been drinking vodka all day when Egidijus Kiaulakis turned up at about midnight.
Mr Sujetovas said Mr Kiaulakis was initially welcome but the atmosphere soured. Mr Kiaulakis began talking loudly. They were asked to leave by their girlfriends.
As the left, Mr Kiaulakis and Paulus began fighting. Mr Kiaulakis threw his bottle of brandy towards them when he [Mr Sujetovas] tried to break it up, Mr Sujetovas said, and ran off.
About an hour later, he said, there was banging on the door and he went out with Mr Brazauskas, where they saw Mr Kiaulakis.
The witness said there was “great chaos” when Mr Kiaulakis ran at him and attacked him. Mr Sujetovas said he felt a sharp pain in his leg, and ran back inside. He took up a knife before returning to the scene, where he saw Mr Brazauskas unconscious and covered in blood. Mr Brazauskas was stabbed seven times, and died almost immediately.
Kiaulakis (31), of Coille Bheithe, Nenagh, has denied murdering Mr Brazauskas on Stephen’s Day, 2008. He has also pleaded not guilty to a second count of assault causing harm to Mr Sujetovas. The trial resumes today before the jury of five men and seven women.