Live Blog: Day 13 Of Yorgen Fenech’s Murder Trial Is Underway

Welcome to our live coverage as the jury trial of Yorgen Fenech over the assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia continues with Day 13.

Proceedings are set to resume shortly before Madam Justice Edwina Grima at the Law Courts in Valletta, where the prosecution is expected to continue presenting its evidence after Vince Muscat, known as Il-Koħħu, concluded his testimony yesterday.

The jury is expected to take its seats shortly as the hearing gets underway, with the prosecution expected to call further witnesses.

Follow this page for live updates from inside the courtroom throughout the day

“Keith Schembri And Chris Cardona Were Involved”: Alfred Degiorgio Stuns Court Before Questioning Is Halted

10:14am- As Alfred Degiorgio takes the witness stand, he immediately tells the court he wants to make a statement before any questions are put to him.

“All I want to say is one thing. I won’t testify about anything else,” he says.

Without being prompted, Degiorgio declares: “Without a doubt, Keith Schembri and Chris Cardona were involved.”

He then adds that he intends to contest his own case.

Madam Justice Edwina Grima intervenes, telling Degiorgio that the case he is referring to before the European Court has already been concluded. She reminds him that the prosecution will be asking the questions and that he should answer them as they are put to him.

Before questioning can begin, defence lawyer Dr Charles Mercieca raises a point of law.

Judge Grima orders the jury and Degiorgio to temporarily leave the courtroom while legal submissions are heard in their absence. Proceedings are briefly suspended pending the court’s ruling.

Degiorgio brothers expected to take the witness stand today

10:12am- Prosecution lawyer Dr Godwin Ċini confirms with the Court that Alfred Degiorgio will be testifying today.

With Vince Muscat’s testimony now concluded, attention is expected to shift to George and Alfred Degiorgio, who are expected to testify later today.

During an exchange between the prosecution and the defence this morning, Yorgen Fenech’s lawyer Charles Mercieca indicated that the Degiorgio brothers, together with Inspector Nicholas Vella, are expected to take the witness stand.

Known as iċ-Ċiniż and il-Fulu respectively, George and Alfred Degiorgio are serving 40-year prison sentences after admitting in 2022 to carrying out the assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. The brothers changed their pleas to guilty just hours into their own trial.

According to the prosecution’s case, the brothers planted and detonated the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia on 16 October 2017. Their convictions were supported by forensic evidence, as well as testimony from self-confessed middleman Melvin Theuma and fellow hitman Vince Muscat, known as Il-Koħħu.

Their testimony is expected to be one of the most closely watched moments of the jury trial.

First Witness, Criminology Professor Saviour Formosa

10:10am- The Witness concludes his testimony with no cross-examination required.

09:38am- The Witness presents the court with a series of exhibits, including a reconstructed video of the crime scene and footage showing the vehicle at the site of the explosion. He explains that the material was created using laser-scanning technology, with the reconstruction process taking approximately six months to complete

09:36am- Formosa explains to the Jury that Magistrate Anthony Vella tasked him with building the scene of the crime using 3D-mapping.

09:35am-  The jury is called into the courtroom and the prosecution calls its first witness of the day: criminology professor Saviour Formosa.

Professor Formosa tells the court he has worked in the field of criminology for the past 30 years before beginning his testimony.

Defence, Prosecution Clash Over Last-Minute Witness Notice

09:28am- Before the jury and today’s witnesses are called into the courtroom, the defence raises a point regarding the late notification of today’s witnesses.

Defence lawyer Dr Charles Mercieca tells the court that the defence was only informed last night- less than 16 hours in advance – that the prosecution intended to call George Degiorgio, Alfred Degiorgio and Inspector Nicholas Vella, the principal investigator involved in the inquiry, among others.

Mercieca argues that both sides are already working long hours, including weekends, to prepare for the trial and says the prosecution should know in advance the order in which it intends to call its own witnesses. He describes the late notification as “disloyal and dishonest”, arguing that it gives the prosecution an unfair advantage and “falls short of the collegiality and basic respect expected between the parties.”

Prosecutor Dr Anthony Vella rejects the criticism, saying the prosecution notifies the court as soon as it can, particularly given that witness availability can change at short notice, especially during the summer months. He adds that the prosecution is perplexed by the defence’s accusations, referring to yesterday’s attempt by the defence to rely on a document that had not been exhibited as evidence, which he describes as “deplorable”.

Mercieca counters that the prosecution should instead focus its energy elsewhere, including on issues surrounding the investigation, and argues that today’s witnesses were readily available and could have been scheduled with more notice.

“I am surprised the AG is focusing on that instead of investigating Chris Cardona and Keith Schembri,” Mercieca says.

Prior to delivering a brief ruling, Judge Edwina Grima notes that it is not up to the Attorney General to carry out investigations.

She also remarks that there is no legal obligation requiring either party to notify the other in advance of the witnesses they intend to call. However, she explains that the court had adopted the practice of requesting advance notice of witnesses and documentary evidence in this lengthy and document-heavy trial to ensure proceedings run smoothly and to allow all parties adequate time to prepare.

Judge Grima orders that, wherever reasonably possible, both the prosecution and the defence should notify the court and the opposing party at least 48 hours in advance of the witnesses and documents they intend to produce. She stresses, however, that this remains a case-management measure rather than a legal obligation, noting that each side is ultimately entitled to conduct its case according to its own litigation “strategy”.

09:25am– Jude Grima enters Hall 22.

09:11am- We’re seated in the public gallery alongside several other journalists as we await the arrival of Judge Edwina Grima to begin Day 13 of proceedings in Hall 22.

Lawyers for the prosecution, the parte civile and the defence are all seated and waiting for the session to commence. Meanwhile, court IT experts are setting up the courtroom screens and appear to be connecting some laptops ahead of today’s evidence.

Day 12 Recap

Day 12 of Yorgen Fenech’s murder trial was dominated by the cross-examination of state witness Vince Muscat, known as Il-Koħħu, as the defence challenged his previous statements and his recollection of key events surrounding the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Among the day’s most striking testimony, Muscat told the jury that the bomb was designed to ensure Daphne Caruana Galizia would be killed rather than injured. He recalled George Degiorgio insisting it should not end up “like Romeo Bone’s bomb”, saying the explosive was placed beneath the driver’s seat and accompanied by a bottle of petrol to maximise its lethal effect.

Muscat also testified that he feared for his family after the Degiorgio brothers learned he was cooperating with police in the hope of securing a presidential pardon. He alleged they found out through Melvin Theuma, who remained in contact with them while in prison, and said he had heard threats that acid could be thrown at his children.

The defence also questioned Muscat extensively about his allegations against former lawyer Arthur Azzopardi, whom he claimed had encouraged him to change his version of events regarding Melvin Theuma while discussing a possible pardon.

The jury heard how the hitmen allegedly prepared for their arrest on 4 December 2017, with Muscat saying they planned not to resist and to keep their heads held high to give the impression that “powerful people” were backing them.

Cross-examination also revisited alleged meetings with former minister Chris Cardona, the abandoned 2015 murder plot, and claims involving lawyer David Gatt.

Proceedings were repeatedly interrupted by legal arguments between the prosecution and defence, with Judge Edwina Grima at one stage warning lawyers to behave or risk being fined before rejecting a defence request to introduce a document that had not previously been exhibited as evidence.

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.

READ NEXT: MITA Says E-ID Services Back To Normal After MATSEC Results Rush

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.