Why can't we just explain that Meshalem lefi Chelko refers to a case similar to what we had on end of last Amud of meshalim al pi atzmo where rashi explains that the zomemim fled from court before being sentenced and admitted in another bet din.Say that our casis that one witness fled from court and admitted in the other court but the second witness stayed.Now first witness does not have to pay but second one does and this is what it means "meshalem lefi Chelko"?
Aaron Massry, brooklyn Ny
If the first witness fled from court before being sentenced, that means he never became an Ed Zomem in that court. Therefore, the words of the Gemara a few lines later -- that an Ed Zomem does not pay unless both Edim are pronounced Zomemim -- applies here. Since the first witness never became a Zomem in this court, this means that the second witness also does not have to pay. It does not make a difference that the first witness admitted in the other court, because the Halachah is that they are considered Zomemim only if they were both pronounced Zomemim in the same court.
Kol Tuv,
Dovid Bloom