Koħħu pleads guilty
• Vince Muscat jailed for 15 years • Police arrest suspected Caruana Galizia bomb suppliers
Vincent Muscat, known as ilKoħħu, has admitted to his part in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Muscat was accused, together with George Degiorgio and his brother
Alfred Degiorgio, of procuring, planting and detonating the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia in October 2017. The bomb, which was planted in her car, detonated as she was driving down the road from her home in Bidnija.
Muscat sat, eyes teary, in the dock before madam justice Edwina Grima as she asked him to confirm his change of plea to guilty, which he did.
There were around eight armed prison guards in the room, separating the Degiorgio brothers from him.
Muscat admitted to all six heads of indictment. These were: the wilful homicide of Daphne Caruana Galizia, causing an explosion which led to the death of a person, illegal possession of explosives, conspiracy to carry out a crime, promotion of a group intending to carry out criminal acts and participation in such a group.
In her judgement, Judge Edwina Grima stated: “Over the course of today’s sitting, the court heard the testimony of Inspector
Keith Arnaud, who explained in detail the cooperation of the accused, Vincent Muscat, in the still ongoing investigations into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. It heard that this cooperation has been ongoing since 2018 and continues till this day.” It reads that Vincent Muscat has been assisting the authorities from a relatively early stage of the
proceedings, “wherein this assistance may also result in the start of prosecution against third parties.”
“The court also heard Jason Azzopardi, the lawyer appearing on behalf of the victim’s family, who declared that the parte civile is, in light of the aforementioned circumstances, adhering to the bargain on the punishment agreed between the prosecution and the accused Vincent Muscat.” “Therefore, in light of these particular circumstances and the accused’s assistance and cooperation during the course of the investigations and prosecution of this case, as explained by Inspector Keith Arnaud, the court feels that it should adhere with the joint request as presented by the parties today.”
Muscat was sentenced to 15 years in prison and he must also pay €42,930 in court costs as well.
Muscat also renounced his right to appeal, meaning that the sentence is effective immediately. A stonefaced Muscat was led away from the courtroom, after speaking to his lawyer, and taken back to Corradino Correctional Facility, where he will spend the next 15 years behind bars.
Muscat’s confession, together with the information he would hand over to the police, could have a domino effect on the other cases against his coaccused, Alfred and George Degiorgio, alleged mastermind Yorgen Fenech, and beyond.
Last week, Muscat’s lawyer informed the Court of Criminal Appeal that he was withdrawing his appeal against a court judgment dismissing his 118 preliminary pleas.
Muscat had requested a presidential pardon earlier this year but this was rejected by Cabinet.
More arrests
In further developments yesterday, sources said that the police arrested three men on suspicion of being involved in the supply of the bomb which was used to assassinate Daphne Caruana Galizia. In a statement later in the day however, the police said that two people were arrested in relation to both the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the unsolved 2015 murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop, and a third in relation to the latter murder case. No official details about who the men are were included in the police statement, but various reports read that the three men are Adrian and Robert Agius and their associate Jamie Vella.
All three of them were among the 10 arrested by police in December 2017, when Muscat and the Degiorgio brothers were first arrested, but were released without charge some days later.
The police had been hoping to arraign the trio within the next 48 hours, but they will be unable to do so because one of the three is currently sick with Covid
19.
Vince
Muscat granted pardon over unsolved 2015 Birkirkara murder
While Vince Muscat was in court, news also emerged that he had been granted a presidential pardon to help investigations into the unsolved 2015 murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop.
Muscat is understood to be able to shed light on who was behind the killing of Carmel Chircop and how the murder plot was executed. Chircop was shot dead in a garage complex in Birkirkara on 8 October 2015.
A partner of Dingli and Dingli Associates and also the president of the Duke of Connaught Band Club of Birkirkara, he was shot at least twice in the upper body in his own garage early in the morning.
The pardon was reportedly approved by Cabinet on Monday.
The Malta Independent on Sunday had reported back in 2015 that police were probing Chircop’s property dealings amongst other things in the course of their investigations.
The case has remained unsolved since.
The police in a statement issued yesterday said that two of the three suspects who were arrested yesterday are assisting the police in both
homicides.