George Degiorgio bought boat from where Bidnija bomb that killed journalist was detonated

George Degiorgio had bought the boat from which he detonated the bomb that killed Daphne Caruana Galizia for €30,000 in February 2017, the court heard yesterday.

The boat, Maya, was put up for sale by its previous owner, who was called in to testify in the compilation of evidence against Degiorgio, brothers Adrian and Robert Agius, and their associate Jamie Vella.

The court heard that George paid for the sale, but the transfer of the boat’s ownership was made on his brother, Alfred Degiorgio.

In this court case, the four accused are facing charges of being involved in the murders of Daphne Caruana Galizia and lawyer Carmel Chircop.

George Degiorgio is facing separate proceedings for his alleged involvement in the Caruana Galizia assassination, but is part of this case for his alleged involvement in the Chircop murder.

The Agius brothers, known as Tal-Maksar, and Vella are accused of supplying the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia and of murdering Chircop.

The prosecution continued bringing forward witnesses in relation to the Caruana Galizia murder yesterday.

The court heard the shocking testimony of Bidnija resident Francis Sant, who witnessed Caruana Galizia’s death. Sant has already testified in separate proceedings about what he saw on the day.

On 16 October 2017, Sant had been driving from Tarġa Gap to Bidnija and was almost at the top of the hill, when he noticed a small white car coming opposite his direction. The driver appeared in a panic, he told the court.

“She stopped a few metres away. It all took a few seconds… There was like a spark and about two seconds later an explosion that wrecked the car… I heard screaming, screaming. I was later told it was Mrs Caruana Galizia. The burning car passed a few metres in front of me and crashed into a field. There was a lot of fire,” he recounted in court.

Sant added that he saw Caruana Galizia’s son arrive and run, “almost into the flames”. “He couldn’t speak, I asked him if he knew whose it was,” Sant said.

Officers from the Civil Protection Department who were called on site also testified on what they saw at the scene of the crime.

Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo is presiding over the court case.