Degiorgios granted bail in case unrelated to journalist’s murder; to remain behind bars
Two men accused of the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia have been granted bail in separate money laundering proceedings currently ongoing in their regard.
George Degiorgio and Alfred Degiorgio will remain in custody, however, due to the ongoing compilation of evidence against them with regards to the murder of Caruana Galizia.
In separate proceedings which have been ongoing for over a year, the pair stand accused, together with Anca Adelina Pop, of money laundering. Pop had been released on bail several months ago, but the two brothers had not.
This all changed in a decree delivered last Friday by the Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Giovanni Grixti, it was observed that the bail application filed by the co-accused on March 29, should be upheld since all the prosecution witnesses had been summoned and had testified in the compilation proceedings before the court of Magistrates.
Mr. Justice Grixti observed that in view of this, there were no further obstacles to the granting of bail, explaining that the Attorney General’s claimed preoccupation “as to the untrustworthiness of the accused” needed to be supported by at least a minimal degree of evidence.
The granting of bail had to balance the rights of society in general against those of the persons being held under arrest, said the judge. In this case, the aim of preventive arrest had been exhausted he said.