The grandson of Brighton landlord Mohammed Raja today described the men he saw kill his grandfather.

Rizban Raja was staying with his grandfather at the time of the murder in July 1999. He told the Old Bailey he saw two men dressed as gardeners in the doorway of the home while his grandfather clutched his chest in pain.

Mohammed Raja was stabbed five times before being shot.

Rizban, 21, said he came down the stairs to see his grandfather clutching his chest.

He said his grandfather called out in Punjabi: "They are Hoogstraten's men, they have hit me," and repeated it twice.

Student Rizban, who flew from Pakistan to give evidence, said his grandfather's shirt was spattered with blood and he was holding his chest or his stomach.

David Croke, 59, of Bolney Road, Moulsecoomb, Brighton, and Robert Knapp are accused of murdering Mr Raja.

The jury heard they were paid by millionaire property tycoon Nicholas Hoogstraten, 57, to murder Mr Raja at his Surrey home.

David Waters, prosecuting, said they shot and stabbed him before fleeing in their truck which was later found burned out.

Mr Waters said shortly after the murder the pair arrived at the home of Doreen Tom, a friend of Knapp, in Crayford, Kent.

"Mrs Tom noticed that they both had fresh burns. So fresh they were blistered and red.

"Knapp had a burn on his forearm and Croke on his chest."

Hoogstraten, Croke and Knapp all deny murder.

Hoogstraten also denies conspiracy to murder. The case continues.