Live Blog: Yorgen Fenech Murder Trial Enters Day 12

Welcome to our live coverage as the jury trial of Yorgen Fenech over the assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia enters Day 12.

We’re at the Law Courts in Valletta, where proceedings before Madam Justice Edwina Grima are set to resume shortly. Today’s sitting will continue with the testimony of Vince Muscat, known as il-Koħħu, before the defence begins its cross-examination.

The jury is expected to take its seats shortly as proceedings get underway.

Refresh this page for live updates from inside the courtroom.

Vince Muscat Received Payments In Prison

10:06am- Muscat testifies that his partner would receive around €200 to €300 a week while he was in prison. He says he believes the money came through a collection (ġabra) at his local band club (każin).

He says Lawrence Pace, known as il-Lolly, would also provide money. Pace would pass the funds to Peter Brincat, the father of Muscat’s partner’s children, telling him they were intended for Vince.

Muscat confirms that Melvin Theuma also contributed to the money being collected.

Muscat says Maksar brothers allegedly offered €1,500 monthly

Muscat tells the court that Robert Agius and Jamie Vella, known as Tal-Maksar, allegedly tried to send a message to him through Peter Brincat, his father-in-law, offering €1,500 a month in exchange for him not mentioning them to police.

Muscat says Brincat refused the offer.

Muscat: We Were Told to Hold Our Heads High During Arrests to Show “Powerful People” Were Behind Us

09:57am– Prosecutors question Muscat about how he, Alfred Degiorgio and George Degiorgio planned to behave when they expected police to arrest them in 2017.

The questioning follows Muscat’s testimony yesterday that the trio had advance warning of the 4th December 2017 police raids and were expecting officers to arrive at around 8am. He had also told the court they had cleaned up the Marsa potato shed beforehand and even allegedly sought information from Chris Cardona about rumours of the impending arrests.

When prosecution asked Muscat whether they had agreed on how to act, Muscat says there was no plan to resist the police. Instead, they intended to act normally and all be present when officers arrived.

He recalls that, on the morning of the arrests, he was planning to go buy a coffee before returning to the potato shed.

Prosecutor Godwin Cini then reads an excerpt from Muscat’s previous testimony to refresh his memory.

Muscat says they had been instructed not to lower their heads when arrested, but to keep them held high. Initially, he says he did not know why. After hearing the excerpt, Muscat confirms that they had been told to hold their heads high to project strength and to show that “there were powerful people behind them.”

Alfred Degiorgio Claimed Cardona Was Kept Updated on Investigation Through Silvio Valletta

09:51am- Prosecutor Godwin Cini asks Muscat whether former minister Chris Cardona knew anything about the alleged €150,000 payment.

Muscat replies that, according to Alfred Degiorgio, Cardona knew because he had sent him a WhatsApp message.

Recalling conversations before the assassination, Muscat says that when Daphne Caruana Galizia could not be located, they wondered whether she had travelled abroad. He says Alfred Degiorgio suggested asking Cardona where she was. “If you don’t ask Chris Cardona, who are you going to ask?” (“Jekk ma ssaqsix lil Chris Cardona, lil min ħa ssaqsi?”) Muscat recalls telling him.

Questioned about the source of Cardona’s information, Muscat says Alfred Degiorgio had told him that Cardona was receiving updates from then senior police officer Silvio Valletta. He says Valletta did not communicate with Cardona directly, but through an intermediary.

After Judge Edwina Grima asks whether the person was a lawyer, Muscat says he knew the intermediary was a lawyer but could not immediately recall his name. Prosecutor Godwin Cini then reads an excerpt from Muscat’s previous testimony to refresh his memory. Muscat then confirms that, according to what Alfred Degiorgio had told him, the intermediary was lawyer Edward Gatt.

“‘Make sure it’s not like Romeo Bone’s’: Il-Koħħu says bomb was designed to kill

09:45am- He testifies that George Degiorgio told him: “Make sure it’s not like Romeo Bone’s- there wasn’t enough ammunition.”

Muscat says he did not know exactly what had happened to Bone, but recalled seeing news reports that “his legs were cut off” after the bombing.

According to Muscat, George Degiorgio wanted to ensure that Daphne Caruana Galizia would be killed, not merely injured. He says this was why the group used a small bottle filled with petrol, intended to ensure the victim would die.

Muscat further testifies that the explosive device was placed inside the car after Alfred Degiorgio opened the door and positioned it beneath the driver’s seat.

Judge Bars Prosecution From Repeating Same Question to Vince Muscat

09:40am- Defence lawyer Dr Charles Mercieca argued that Vince Muscat had already testified yesterday that the deposit had been paid before the election. He maintained that, if the prosecution wished to refer to a previous testimony to refresh the witness’s memory, it could not repeatedly quote the same excerpt.

Mercieca submitted that, in line with the court’s decree delivered yesterday, the prosecution had been granted permission to refer to a specific excerpt from Muscat’s testimony during the compilation of evidence concerning whether the deposit had been paid before or after the election. He noted that the prosecution had already relied on the same excerpt it was seeking to quote again this morning.

He recalled that yesterday the prosecution had requested permission to refer to the compilation testimony to ensure the chronology of events was preserved and that nothing was taken out of context. The court upheld that request and allowed the prosecution to refer to the relevant excerpt.

Judge Edwina Grima, however, upheld the defence’s objection, ruling that the prosecution could not continue asking the same question “in the hope of eliciting an answer to the prosecution’s liking”. She noted that the witness was testifying under oath, as he had throughout the compilation proceedings, and that once his memory had been refreshed and he had consistently given the same answer, he should not be repeatedly questioned on the same point.

The court then directed the prosecution to continue with its questioning of the witness.

Jury and Witness are called back in.

09:15am- Dr Godwin Cini from the Attorney General’s Office attempts to quote Vince Muscat’s testimony from 8th June 2021. Defence lawyer Dr Charles Mercieca raises a point of law, objecting to the reference. The Jury and Witness are dismissed momentarily.

09:12am- Vince Muscat is taking the stand and the testimony is set to resume shortly.

09:06am- The Jury has entered the courtroom and we’re awaiting for Witness Vince Muscat to be called in. Judge Edwina Grima informs the court that Muscat is stuck in the court elevator.

09:00am- The day has only just started, but a (light-hearted) dispute has already broken out between the prosecution and parte civile on one side and the defence on the other over the courtroom’s air conditioning.

What happened on Day 11?

Day 11 was almost entirely dominated by the testimony of Vince Muscat, known as il-Koħħu, one of the three men convicted over the execution of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination. Muscat, who pleaded guilty in 2021 as part of a plea agreement, spent the day giving his account of the planning, execution and aftermath of the murder.

The day began with the final cross-examination of court-appointed IT expert Martin Bajada before Muscat took the stand. Bajada answered jurors’ questions about the forensic recovery of data from Daphne Caruana Galizia’s destroyed phone and why a similar process could not be carried out on Keith Schembri’s reported lost device.

Muscat then alleged that an earlier plot to kill Daphne existed in 2015, claiming Alfred Degiorgio told him: “Chris Cardona wanted us to get rid of Daphne Caruana Galizia.” According to Muscat, the original plan was to shoot her, but it never materialised because an alleged €50,000 deposit was never paid. He claimed Cardona was “all bluff”. These allegations were made by Muscat under oath and have not been determined by the court.

Moving to 2017, Muscat described what prosecutors allege was the plot commissioned by Yorgen Fenech. He testified that the conspirators initially planned to shoot Daphne from a nearby field before abandoning that plan and opting for a car bomb instead. He detailed months of surveillance in Bidnija, meetings with alleged middleman Melvin Theuma, the alleged €30,000 deposit, and how Robert Agius and Jamie Vella allegedly supplied the bomb.

One of the day’s most striking moments came when Muscat recalled an alleged conversation before a planned attack in Valletta during Notte Bianca. According to his testimony, George Degiorgio said they still had to place the bomb “regardless of whether her husband or children were inside the car.” The allegations were made in court and have not been determined by the jury.

Muscat also walked jurors through the events of 16 October 2017, describing how the bomb was allegedly placed beneath Daphne’s driver’s seat, how he and Alfred Degiorgio watched from a nearby vantage point, and how they initially believed the device had failed because they only saw smoke. He later told the court that he went to Rabat for two pastizzi and a coffee but felt too unwell to eat because of what had happened before returning to the Marsa potato shed.

The afternoon focused on the aftermath of the assassination. Muscat testified about alleged payments following the murder, rumours that the Degiorgio brothers would be arrested, claims that they were expecting the 4 December police raid, and alleged attempts to obtain information about the investigation, including an unsuccessful trip to look for Chris Cardona at a bar in Siġġiewi. He also made several allegations about discussions after the arrests, including claims relating to bail, which were not explored further by prosecutors.

Proceedings ended with Muscat still on the witness stand. His testimony is set to continue on Day 12 before the defence begins its cross-examination.

The prosecution is being led by lawyers Godwin Cini, Anthony Vella and Danika Vella from the Office of the Attorney General, assisted by Assistant Police Commissioner Keith Arnaud and Inspector Kurt Zahra. Fenech is represented by lawyers Charles Mercieca, Gianluca Caruana Curran and Giannella de Marco, while the Caruana Galizia family is participating in the proceedings as parte civile, represented by lawyers Therese Comodini Cachia and Jason Azzopardi.

We’ll bring you the latest testimony and key developments from inside the courtroom as they happen. Refresh this page for live updates throughout the day.

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Clara Sciberras

Clara is a lawyer, actor, singer and journalist passionate about storytelling. She joined prime-time TV programme Xarabank in 2019 as a producer, beginning her journey in local media. With a focus on social justice, law and politics, she tries to bring curiosity, creativity and a touch of humour to the stories she tells.