The man on trial for the murder of Francis "Frankie" Dunne told Romanian police that two men armed with a machette and a knife forced him to put the severed remains of the deceased into a bag and then under a bush.
30 year old Ionut Cosmin Nicholescu with an address in Romania is on trial for the murder of 64 year old Dunne between the 27th and 28th of December 2019 at Castlegreine House, Boreenmanna Road, Cork City.
The Central Criminal Court trial in Cork heard that Ionut Cosmin Nicholescu, who denies the murder, told police in Romania that he encountered one of the men who was armed with what he described as a "sword or machette" when he returned to the derelict house where he had been squatting.
He said he was fearful and followed the man when ordered to, when interviewed voluntarily by officers in Romania.
The jury heard that he claimed he was led to another man before being told to go around the corner of the garden where he spotted a man lying on the ground.
He said the man appeared dead to him and claimed one of the armed men dragged Frankie Dunne around to the back of the house.
He also told Romanian police that he was tembling with fear when he was ordered to put the deceased head in a plastic trash bag.
Meanwhile the court also heard that Gardaí in Cork had spoken to Nicholescu after he left Ireland for Romania.
Chief Superintendant Vincent O'Sullivan said he phoned the accused on January 2nd to tell him Gardai wanted to speak to him about the death of Frankie Dunne.
He also said that Nicholescu phoned him at 1:37pm that day and told him that he saw two men standing over a body when he returned to the house on the 27th of December...
Nicholescu also said the two men ordered him to drag the body through a door at the side of the house in to the back garden.
The court also heard that Nicholescu said he didn't report the matter to Gardaí before he was afraid of the men.
The trial continues before the jury and Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
