Carmel Chircop never chased More Supermarket director over €600,000 debt, court hears

The compilation of evidence against brothers Adrian and Robert Agius, known as Tal-Maksar, and their associates Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio continued on Monday, with several witnesses testifying about the murders of Daphne Caruana Galizia and Carmel Chircop.

The first witness to take the stand was Etienne Cassar, a sales representative and former director of More Supermarket. He described how one of the Agius brothers had bought a store from the company for the operations of More Supermarket.

While Carmel Chircop was not directly involved in the sale, he had a promise-of-sale agreement on the store, and wanted Cassar to take over this agreement.

Chircop said that he wanted €600,000 for the store, but the sum of money was never paid. A guarantee had been signed, with Adrian Agius putting forward some personal assets as collateral for the deal. One of the parties involved in the deal, Ryan Schembri, had fled Malta after the agreement was put in place. 

According to Etienne Cassar, Chircop never chased him over this debt. However, previous court sittings in the case explain that Chircop had been pressing Adrian Agius over the €600,000 payment.

READ ALSO: After Chircop murder, wife settled for €165,000 payment from Agius over €600,000 debt

11:36 This was the last witness today. The compilation of evidence continues on Tuesday 18 May at 8:30am. Thank you for following. Nicole Meilak

11:35 Another doctor from the Mater Dei emergency department is testifying. He had been part of the medical team on site at Bidnija on the day of the murder. He says that he had been given orders by Dr Michael Spiteri to stay in the ambulance. Nicole Meilak

11:33 She was told to remain on stand-by in the area. Nicole Meilak

11:33 Dr Luana Formosa is now testifying. On 16 October 2017, the day of the Caruana Galizia murder, she had been in the office of Dr Michael Spiteri at Mater Dei Hospital, when suddenly they received a call that a car exploded. They arrived, but since she wasn't wearing protective gear she was asked to remain outside of the crime scene. Nicole Meilak

11:29 Simon Aquilina, also an AFM official, gives a similar version of events. He went to the site of the explosion, and the AFM officials were told not to touch anything until a team of foreign experts arrives on site. When they arrived, their involvement in the case ended there. Nicole Meilak

11:27 Another AFM official takes the stand. He was on shift the day that Daphne Caruana Galizia was murdered. When he arrived on site, the car was still on fire, with car pieces scattered all over the area. The AFM team was tasked with evaluating the scene to make sure everywhere was cordoned off once the fire was put out. They had strict orders not to touch anything until foreign investigation teams come to the scene. Instead, they were stationed in the area to make sure no unauthorised parties enter or leave the scene. Nicole Meilak

11:23 Next is a former AFM official who was stationed in the army's bomb disposal unit. He was asked to attend the search operations in the Marsa potato shed area. These searches were carried out underwater in the area. He confirmed that a Samsung and a couple of Nokias were found in the search. Nicole Meilak

11:16 AFM official Mario Chant is next to testify. He too was present during the search carried out in Marsa by the potato shed. He says that they were asked to search in this particular area, within which seven mobiles were seized. The first mobile phone found was a Samsung, but the others were all Nokia brands. Nicole Meilak

11:10 Stephen Said, another AFM official, takes the stand. He said that several mobile phones were found in the Marsa area being searched, but is unable to verify the exact number found. "They were scattered around," he said. Nicole Meilak

11:06 An AFM official, Mario Sant, steps up to the podium. He was present at the searches carried out around Marsa on December 4, when the Degiorgio brothers together with Vincent Muscat were arrested. Several mobiles were found throughout the search, which was carried out until December 8. Nicole Meilak

11:01 Claire Zammit, a nurse, takes to the witness stand next. She was on the medical team that went to Bidnija when reports came in of a car bomb that went off in the area. She notes how there were no signs of life on the victim when the team arrived. Nicole Meilak

10:57 Next up is Adrian Cachia, another police official. He is giving details about several cars that were being investigated, including Jamie Vella’s Volvo that belonged to Brian Cutajar, who manages Regina Auto Dealer. The car was being used by Jamie Vella at the time of his arrest. Nicole Meilak

10:51 Next is police constable Julian Grech, stationed in the Major Crimes Unit in the police force. He describes how at 1:15pm on the day, they received orders to arrest the Agius brothers. They proceeded to arrest Adrian Agius at a property in Triq San Martin, Baħrija. Nicole Meilak

10:47 The next witness is police sergeant Darryl Farrugia. On 23 February, he together with other police were given orders to arrest Jamie Vella and the Agius brothers. That day, they received information on the brothers location on the day, and they proceeded with the arrests. Nicole Meilak

10:45 The witness, Superintendent James Grech, says that the explosion happened further down the road towards Mosta. Requests were made to service providers relating to mobiles used by Caruana Galizia. However, Superintendent Keith Arnaud from the homicide unit made the initial request as he was tasked with investigating the case. The car being driven by Caruana Galizia at the time was rented from Percius car hire. Nicole Meilak

10:42 And we’re back. The next witness is testifying about both the Caruana Galizia and Carmel Chircop murders. Regarding the former, he was at home when he received information that car bomb went off in Bidnija, and that the car was believed to be the one belonging to the murdered journalist. Nicole Meilak

09:59 The court will now be taking a 30 minute break before hearing other witnesses. Nicole Meilak

09:58 In a brief testimony, Balzan said that he had been at the Ta' Kandja area when he was informed that a car caught fire in Bidnija, and that it was likely the result of a bomb. Another constable, Mario Farrugia testified similarly. Nicole Meilak

09:54 Reuben Balzan, a police sergeant is next on the witness podium. He is describing the scene at Bidnija when the fatal car bomb went off that killed journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Nicole Meilak

09:51 Another police constable, Roderick Degiorgio, has taken to the stand. He was present when Jamie Vella was arrested at the Tal-Ibraġ property. He says that several mobiles were seized, including cash in euros and foreign currencies, as well as his passport. Nicole Meilak

09:47 Cutajar has finished testifying. A police officer has taken to the stand describing the items seized during the arrests of the four accused. He was the one who had issued an arrest mandate on the four individuals. He said that several mobiles were seized, together with four cars and other items. Nicole Meilak

09:45 The house was bought from Adrian Agius, but he had to give €165,000 to Carmel Chircop’s widow because of a mortgage. Regarding the Tal-Ibraġ property, Cutajar confirmed that only Jamie Vella was staying at this property. Nicole Meilak

09:44 Cutajar had properties at Tal-Ibraġ, Swieqi that was being taken care of by Jamie Vella. He also purchased a property at Baħar iċ-Cagħaq back in 2017. He presented to the court a copy of the contract drafted when purchasing the property, and a photocopy of a cheque addressed to Mary Rose Chircop, the widow of Carmel Chircop. Nicole Meilak

09:34 Cassar steps off the podium as his testimony comes to a close. The next witness is Brian Cutajar, who mans the Regina Auto Dealer showroom. Nicole Meilak

09:28 Cassar is saying that the company was owed €600,000 for the sale of this property. However, the sum of money was never paid. A guarantee was signed by all parties, namely Cassar, Ryan Schembri and Adrian Agius. Agius had put his property on the table as a guarantee on the purchase. Nicole Meilak

09:19 Cassar is describing the meetings surrounding the purchase of this store. Topics discussed surrounded primarily agreements on the prices, the gave way for the signing of a guarantee on the store, as signed by Cassar, Ryan Schembri and Adrian Agius. Nicole Meilak

09:12 The first witness to take the stand is Etienne Cassar, a sales representative of Cassar & Schembri Ltd. He's describing how one of the Agius brothers had bought a store from the company for the operations of More Supermarket. Nicole Meilak

09:08 A quick reminder: Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo is presiding over the case. Nicole Meilak

09:07 The magistrate has just emerged from her chambers. She is doing a roll-call of all the parties present. Nicole Meilak

08:55 The compilation itself is taking place in Hall 16, but due to COVID-19 procedures and the size limitations of the courtroom, the media is live-blogging from a separate hall. Nicole Meilak

08:52 Good morning. We're live from Courtroom 5, reporting on the compilation of evidence against the Agius 'Maksar' Brothers, George Degiorgio, and Jamie Vella. Nicole Meilak

Brian Cutajar, a car dealer with Regina Auto Dealer, testified after him. He said that he knew the Agius brothers for years, saying that he sold around four or five cars to the brothers and Jamie Vella.

Cutajar had a property at Tal-Ibraġġ, which Jamie Vella had been taking care of. Vella had a pair of keys to this peroperty, and maintained a good relationship with Cutajar. 

Vella would sometimes sell cars on Cutajar's behalf, and would receive money from him when doing so.

Cutajar also had a property at Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, which he had bought from Adrian Agius in 2017. Through the purchase of this property he gave €165,000 to Carmel Chircop's widow because there had been a mortgage on the property. 

After this, several police officials testified on the arrest of the Agius brothers and Jamie Vella, describing how cars and sums of cash were seized during searches on their properties.

Some police and AFM officials, and medics from Mater Dei, testified on the Bidnija scene where journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed via car bomb.

Other AFM officials testified on the searches carried out in the Marsa potato shed area during and after the arrest of 10 individuals in relation to Caruana Galizia's murder.

Robert Agius and Jamie Vella are charged with supplying the bomb that killed Daphne Caruana Galizia in October 2017.

Adrian Agius is charged with commissioning the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop in 2015. Vella and Degiorgio are charged with executing Chircop’s assassination in a garage complex in Birkirkara.

Degiorgio is currently undergoing separate procedures for his involvement in the Caruana Galizia murder.

The Agius brothers and Vella had long been suspected of having been the bomb suppliers in the Caruana Galizia murder case. They had been arrested in December 2017 but later released with no charge.

They were arrested on the same day that Vince Muscat, known as il-Koħħu, admitted his involvement in the Caruana Galizia murder and was sentenced to 15 years in prison following a plea bargain agreement.

Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo is presiding over the case. Lawyers Alfred Abela and Rene Darmanin are defence counsel to the Agius brothers, while lawyer William Cuschieri is appearing for George Degiorgio.

Lawyer George Camilleri is representing the Attorney General in the proceedings, while Superintendent Keith Arnaud and Inspectors Shawn Pawney and Wayne Camilleri are prosecuting.

Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Therese Comodini Cachia are appearing parte civile for the Caruana Galizia family, while lawyer Vince Galea is appearing for the Chircop family.