The jury in a Dublin murder trial has heard of an argument about 70 cents shortly before a man was allegedly kicked to death.
A witness was giving evidence on the third day of the trial of the proprietor of an internet cafe and call shop, who is charged with murdering a customer over not paying for a phone call.
Zhen Dong Zhao (36), Jervis Street in Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Noel Fegan (40), Aughrim Street, on May 20th, 2011.
The Central Criminal Court has heard that the alleged attack took place outside e-Times on Dublin’s Wellington Quay. Mr Fegan had gone into the shop to phone his daughter from whom he had received a “call me” text.
Witness Chong Yu told the trial yesterday that Mr Zhen, whom he knew as Joe, said: “You have to pay the money.”
“Joe was holding his shirt and the small man was using the back of his right hand to hit Joe on the right side of the face,” Mr Chong said, demonstrating with a closed fist. “Joe fell against the counter and both men ran out.
“I saw the man on the ground on his back,” he added, saying that the man was breathing heavily. “One or two minutes later, blood came out of his right ear.”
He said he asked Mr Zhen what was wrong.
“He said: ‘I kicked him’.”