Alleged Daphne hitmen sought Chris Cardona’s help on murder, court hears

Former minister Chris Cardona would be called upon to help the hitmen planning Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder, Vince Muscat testified under cross-examination yesterday.

Muscat, known as il-Koħħu, said that Alfred Degiorgio was a close friend of Cardona and would meet him for information on the journalist.

He was testifying in the compilation of evidence against brothers Alfred and George Degiorgio, accused of executing the assassination. Muscat had pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 15 years in prison after a plea bargain agreement. Muscat is now testifying against the co-accused.

Muscat was yesterday grilled by defence lawyer William Cuschieri, who suggested that the witness was trying to pin everything on Alfred Degiorgio and was being very selective in his testimony.

An aborted plot to murder Caruana Galizia sometime in 2014 and 2015 was again mentioned.

Muscat said that when Alfred Degiorgio told him about the 2017 murder plot, he had informed him that he knew where Caruana Galizia lived.

“What I told him was that I knew where she lived because when he [Alfred] was in prison, we would go and observe. We kept the prices the same in fact,” Muscat said of the aborted murder plot some two or three years earlier.

The defence lawyer asked who was supposed to shoot Caruana Galizia in the first plot when Alfred Degiorgio was in prison. Muscat said there was going to be another person, to which the lawyer asked whether this person was in his “imagination”.

“The person spoke to us,” Muscat insisted, adding that there were three occasions at the time when George Degiorgio went up to Bidnija to observe Daphne’s movements. He also mentioned lawyer David Gatt - who once shared a Birkirkara office with Cardona - as having been the link person in the first murder plot.

Cardona has previously denied any involvement in Caruana Galizia’s murder, describing the testimony as “pure evil fiction”.

Muscat said he was not surprised when Alfred Degiorgio sought information on Caruana Galizia from Chris Cardona.

“Let us not forget that in 2014 or 2015, I took George Degiorgio to Portomaso to speak to Chris Cardona... so, I wouldn’t be surprised,” he added.

The cross-examination of Muscat by the defence was suspended and will continue next week.

George Degiorgio, 55, from St Paul’s Bay, known as Iċ-Ċiniż and Alfred Degiorgio, 53, also of St Paul’s Bay, known as il-Fulu are charged with Caruana Galizia’s murder.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit is presiding.

Superintendent Keith Arnaud and Inspector Kurt Zahra, aided by the Attorney General’s office, are prosecuting.

Lawyer Marc Sant is appearing for Vince Muscat. Lawyer William Cuschieri is appearing for the Degiorgio brothers.

Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Therese Comodini Cachia are appearing parte civile for the Caruana Galizia family.