The jury trial of four men accused of the murders of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and lawyer Carmel Chircop began on Thursday, as prosecutors made their opening arguments.
The accused — brothers Robert and Adrian Agius, known as the ‘Ta’ Maksar’ brothers, along with Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio — appeared in court on Thursday as jurors were empanelled.
Adrian Agius, 46, and Robert Agius, 41, both from Ħaż Żebbuġ, along with Jamie Vella, 41, from Mosta, and George Degiorgio, 62, are facing seven serious charges. These include the voluntary homicide of lawyer Carmel Chircop, and either direct involvement or complicity in the car bomb explosion that killed journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Additionally, Robert Agius, Jamie Vella, and George Degiorgio are also accused of unlawful possession of explosives and firearms.
The accused deny all charges against them, and they face up to life in prison should they be found guilty.
The trial marks a significant milestone in the Caruana Galizia murder case, which has been ongoing for years following her murder in 2017.
Attorney General lawyer Anthony Vella outlined the prosecution’s case against the four on Thursday afternoon in a sitting which was largely dominated by the procedural elements of a trial by jury.
Vella told jurors that Caruana Galizia’s murder in October 2017 was motivated by her journalist work and was highly pre-meditated. He said that the first plan was for Alfred Degiorgio, who has already pleaded guilty to his role in the assassination, to shoot her dead inside her Bidnija home, but that was then discarded as the hitmen opted to use a bomb instead.
Vella said that jurors will be shown a reconstruction of the bomb and will hear testimony of the “macabre scene” where Caruana Galizia was murdered.
He also said that Carmel Chircop’s murder was motivated by financial reasons. One of the accused – Adrian Agius – owed money to the victim, and commissioned Chircop’s murder in order to avoid paying him.
“They cut his life short not to pay the money they owed him. That’s how much life costs, €20,000,” Vella said.
The trial will continue on Friday.
The murders: Daphne Caruana Galizia
Daphne Caruana Galizia, 53, was assassinated in a car bomb attack near her home in Bidnija on 17 October 2017. The explosion occurred shortly after she left her house around 3pm, when a remotely triggered device detonated under the driver’s seat of her Peugeot 108.
Caruana Galizia was a prominent investigative journalist. Her reporting focused heavily on high-level government corruption, money laundering, links between politics and organised crime, and offshore dealings revealed in the Panama Papers.
In the months before her death, she had been investigating businessman Yorgen Fenech, owner of 17 Black — a secret Dubai company connected to energy deals involving Maltese officials.
The nature of the bomb and its remote detonation pointed to a professional and well-organised hit. The murder sparked massive national and international outrage, with the European Parliament and global press freedom groups calling for an independent investigation.
In response, the Maltese government eventually established a public inquiry, which in 2021 found that the state had “enabled the environment” in which Caruana Galizia was killed due to regulatory failures and political inaction.
Three men — brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio and their associate Vincent Muscat — were charged in connection with planting and detonating the bomb. Muscat later entered a plea deal in 2021, receiving a reduced sentence in exchange for testimony implicating other conspirators, including the Agius brothers and Jamie Vella.
Brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio pleaded guilty to murdering Daphne Caruana Galizia and were jailed for 40 years each
George Degiorgio later admitted his role in the killing during a media interview in 2022. Investigators believe Robert and Adrian Agius supplied the explosive device, and Jamie Vella helped coordinate logistics. The suspected mastermind, Yorgen Fenech, was arrested in 2019 while attempting to flee Malta by yacht. He is still awaiting trial.
Yorgen Fenech from the Tumas Group and a key player in the Electrogas power station had been identified as the owner of 17 Black
The murders: Carmel Chircop
Carmel Chircop, a 51-year-old lawyer and financial advisor, was gunned down in the garage of a business complex in Birkirkara. He was shot multiple times as he arrived at work in the morning. The murder initially appeared to be an isolated incident.
Chircop was involved in several complex financial arrangements and had been in dispute with certain individuals over an unpaid €750,000 loan related to a company he had invested in.
Years later, links emerged between the Chircop murder and the same group accused of killing Caruana Galizia. Vincent Muscat, in his testimony, claimed the Agius brothers and Jamie Vella were involved in both killings and that George Degiorgio acted as the getaway driver in the Chircop case. The murder is believed to have been motivated by the financial fallout from the disputed loan.
According to prosecutors, both murders are tied to the same organised crime network, whose members carried out or facilitated contract killings to eliminate threats.
17:42 First day concludes
Anthony Vella informs the court that he has a few more points to address but will wrap up his arguments and continue tomorrow morning at 9am.
Lawyer Noel Bianco said the defence is still awaiting the witness list, which will be sent to him later tonight.
With that, the jurors depart and will continue tomorrow.
Thank you for following today’s hearing. We will live-blog tomorrow’s hearing too.
17:04: The murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia
Jurors were also given an account of the final moments of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was killed in a car bomb attack on 16 October 2017.
The court heard how she left her home in Bidnija that afternoon, telling her son Matthew that she had an appointment at the bank. After briefly returning to collect her chequebook, she said goodbye and drove off in her Peugeot 108. Moments later, at around 3pm, a massive explosion killed her instantly.
According to lawyer Anthony Vella, parts of Caruana Galizia’s body were flung across the area by the blast, while others were left charred inside the car. Her son, Matthew, was among the first on the scene and witnessed the devastating aftermath.
The lawyer mentioned an eyewitness who saw the explosion happen in real time.
Vella said the attack had been meticulously planned. The original plot had been to shoot Caruana Galizia outside her home, with three firearms reportedly prepared for the act. However, this plan was abandoned in favour of a car bomb to ensure her death. The device was rigged alongside a fuel tank to amplify the explosion’s destructive impact.
The prosecution described the killing as a “well-planned assassination”.
16:45: Court back in session
Jurors are being presented with critical developments in the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop, whose body was found in Birkirkara on the morning of 8 October 2015. Chircop was discovered lying in a pool of blood, half of his body inside a garage and his legs extending out onto the driveway. Police confirmed he had been shot multiple times with a shotgun.
The case had gone unsolved for years, until 2021, when Vincent Muscat, known as il-Koħħu, provided a sworn statement during a separate investigation.
During submissions, the Attorney General insisted on the gravity of the crime. He said the €20,000 was the value placed on Chircop’s life.
16:25: Court break
Proceedings have been halted temporarily for a break, and are expected to continue soon.
16:14: Carmel Chircop murder
Attorney General lawyer Anthony Vella speaks about the October 2015 murder of Carmel Chircop. Vella says the motive behind the killing, allegedly commissioned by the Agius brothers, is that Chircop is owed a substantial sum amounting to hundreds of thousands of euros by Adrian Agius.
16:10: An Attorney General lawyer focuses on two key witnesses: Melvin Theuma and Vince Muscat
Speaking to jurors, an Attorney General lawyer speaks about two key witnesses who are expected to testify in the case.
The first is convicted murderer Vince Muscat, who is serving a 15-year sentence after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors in exchange for information about the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. He also received a presidential pardon in connection with the Chircop case. The pardon requires him to testify truthfully.
Another significant witness, Melvin Theuma, is also summoned to testify. Theuma has admitted to acting as an intermediary in Caruana Galizia’s murder. He was also granted a presidential pardon.
15:44: Voluntary versus involuntary homicide
Attorney General provides the jury with a clear explanation of the difference between voluntary and involuntary homicide.
Voluntary homicide involves a deliberate act that leads to someone’s death, often occurring in situations where the accused intended to kill or seriously harm the victim.
Involuntary homicide, on the other hand, refers to deaths caused without intent to kill-typically the result of negligence, recklessness, or a failure to act with due care.
15:42: Submissions not provisions
Attorney General lawyers clarify “these are not provisions, these are submissions.” His remark came as he addressed the jurors, emphasizing the distinction between legal provisions and the submissions being presented in the case. The Attorney General lawyer then confirms that he would now proceed to read the formal accusations to the jurors.
15:15: Jury timetable laid out
The Attorney General’s counsel has outlined the trial timetable for the jury.
It will begin with the prosecution’s opening statements, setting out the facts, the supporting evidence and its demand for a verdict of guilt.
Next, prosecution witnesses will be questioned by the AG’s team using only indirect questions, followed by their cross-examination. Jurors may then submit questions to the judge, who will put them to the witnesses.
In the defence phase, the accused will decide whether to testify, and the defence will present its case and any supporting evidence.
Once both sides have rested, the prosecution will deliver a reply and the defence a final rejoinder.
The judge will close by summarizing the legal elements of the indictment and guiding jurors on points of law, after, they will each assess the evidence independently before beginning deliberations.
15:00: ‘The goal is justice’ – AG lawyer tells jurors
Attorney General lawyer Anthony Vella opens his address to the jurors by welcoming them and introducing the prosecution team: Godwin Cini, who will be handling the witness examinations and cross-examinations, and Danika Vella.
He explains that the Attorney General’s office is responsible for prosecuting serious crimes, and since this case involves two murders, it is being led by his office on behalf of the Republic of Malta.
Vella underlines that their goal is justice, not to unfairly pursue anyone. He reminds the jurors that their task is to decide whether the accused are guilty or not, and stresses that the charges brought forward are the result of an extensive investigation-not something done lightly.
14:58: Food too cold for Jamie Vella, chair too uncomfortable for Robert Agius
Defence lawyer Ishmael Psaila informed the court that his client told him the food provided by the Corradino Correctional Facility was cold by the time he was able to eat it. He suggested the accused be taken to the facility to eat, and then be brought back to court.
Meanwhile, lawyer Alfred Abela stated his client, Robert Agius, was complaining about the discomfort of his chair and requested it be changed. The chair was subsequently replaced.
14:41: Sitting resumes
The sitting resumes as jurors begin to walk back into the court room.
11:58: Jury breaks for lunch
Proceedings have been temporarily paused, as the jury goes on break. Proceedings will resume at 2pm.
11:26: The court registrar is now reading out the indictment against the defendants. A copy of the indictment has been given to jurors. The reading out of the charges is expected to last hours.
11:25: Proceedings started at around 9am, and the jury has now offically been empanneled. Due to the expected length and complexity of the trial, the court has appointed six reserve jurors instead of the usual three, ensuring that the jury process can continue smoothly in the event of any unforeseen circumstances affecting its members.
The judge addressed the jury, outlining their responsibilities. She explained that determining the facts of the case is entirely up to them, while her role is to provide guidance on legal issues. She also stressed that their verdict must be based solely on the law, cautioning them not to let emotions such as sympathy, bias, or fear affect their decision.
11:23: Good morning, we are inside the law courts in Valletta for the first day of the trial of four men accused of the murders of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and lawyer Carmel Chircop.
The murders
Daphne Caruana Galizia
Daphne Caruana Galizia, 53, was assassinated in a car bomb attack near her home in Bidnija on 17 October 2017. The explosion occurred shortly after she left her house around 3pm, when a remotely triggered device detonated under the driver’s seat of her Peugeot 108.
Caruana Galizia was a prominent investigative journalist. Her reporting focused heavily on high-level government corruption, money laundering, links between politics and organised crime, and offshore dealings revealed in the Panama Papers.
In the months before her death, she had been investigating businessman Yorgen Fenech, owner of 17 Black – a secret Dubai company connected to energy deals involving Maltese officials.
The nature of the bomb and its remote detonation pointed to a professional and well-organised hit. The murder sparked massive national and international outrage, with the European Parliament and global press freedom groups calling for an independent investigation.
In response, the Maltese government eventually established a public inquiry, which in 2021 found that the state had “enabled the environment” in which Caruana Galizia was killed due to regulatory failures and political inaction.
Three men – brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio and their associate Vincent Muscat – were charged in connection with planting and detonating the bomb. Muscat later entered a plea deal in 2021, receiving a reduced sentence in exchange for testimony implicating other conspirators, including the Agius brothers and Jamie Vella.
George Degiorgio later admitted his role in the killing during a media interview in 2022. Investigators believe Robert and Adrian Agius supplied the explosive device, and Jamie Vella helped coordinate logistics. The suspected mastermind, Yorgen Fenech, was arrested in 2019 while attempting to flee Malta by yacht. He is still awaiting trial.
Carmel Chircop
Carmel Chircop, a 51-year-old lawyer and financial advisor, was gunned down in the garage of a business complex in Birkirkara. He was shot multiple times as he arrived at work in the morning. The murder initially appeared to be an isolated incident.
Chircop was involved in several complex financial arrangements and had been in dispute with certain individuals over an unpaid €750,000 loan related to a company he had invested in.
Years later, links emerged between the Chircop murder and the same group accused of killing Caruana Galizia. Vincent Muscat, in his testimony, claimed the Agius brothers and Jamie Vella were involved in both killings and that George Degiorgio acted as the getaway driver in the Chircop case. The murder is believed to have been motivated by the financial fallout from the disputed loan.
According to prosecutors, both murders are tied to the same organised crime network, whose members carried out or facilitated contract killings to eliminate threats.