'When will you pay me?': Sergeant overheard Carmel Chircop complaining about debt payments

A police sergeant overheard Carmel Chircop on the phone with someone asking about debt payments days before the lawyer's assassination, the court heard on Tuesday.

The sergeant, Emanuel Scicluna, told the court that he had seen Chircop one Saturday afternoon in October 2015, and overheard him speaking to someone on the phone.

Scicluna said Chircop appeared angry. The lawyer was heard saying "when are you going to give me those payments?".

The person on the other side of the call was not mentioned in court. However, one of the accused, namely Adrian Agius, owed Chircop €600,000 at the time of the murder.

The sergeant knew Chircop personally, as the latter had been president of a band club. Beyond this, Chircop enjoyed extensive community bonds and other business relationships.

Carmel Chircop, 51, was killed in the morning of 8 October 2015 as he walked to the Birkirkara garage complex, where he died from four gunshot wounds to his upper body.

Several other eyewitnesses appeared in court to testify on the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder. Many of the eyewitnesses recalled going on site and seeing a burnt car, scattered body parts, and car pieces around the area. 

One AFM representative explained how there had been a crater in the road at a distance from the car. This fact together with the appearance of the car on sight indicated that all this was the result of a car bomb.

That same representative had gone on site on the day of the explosion, and a few days later with a Dutch investigation team. The crime scene was separated into three areas, with officials looking for bomb components and fragments from the blast.

Another AFM sergeant recalled seeing a person underneath the dashboard of the car on site, by the passenger-side of the car. One member of the Civil Protection Department said he saw a leg somewhere on site.

All this was heard during the compilation of evidence against Adrian Agius, his brother Robert Agius, and their associates Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio on Tuesday morning.

The Aguis brothers are facing charges of involvement in two murders, including that of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

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 Carmel Chircop in 2015. Vella and Degiorgio are charged with executing Chircop’s assassination in the garage complex in Birkirkara.

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

Key courtroom players

Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo is presiding.

Lawyers Alfred Abela and Rene Darmanin are defence counsel to the Agius brothers. 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.

11:18 And that testimony marks the end of today's sitting. The next hearing will take place on 24 May at 8:30am. Thank you for following. Nicole Meilak

11:17 Another AFM sergeant testifies, having worked in the bomb disposal unit of the armed forces. He recalls the events of 16 October 2017 as he witnessed it. He says that the body of Daphne Caruana Galizia was found under the dashboard on the passenger side of the car. Nicole Meilak

11:13 The representative had gone back on site on the 18 and 19 October with a Dutch team. The crime scene was separated into three areas, with officials looking for bomb components and fragments from the blast. He finishes testifying. Nicole Meilak

11:12 An AFM representative testifies. On 16 October 2017 he had received a call that a bomb exploded in Bidnija. He went to the spot in a van with two other sergeants, taking them 10 minutes to arrive on site. They concluded that it was a bomb - the car looked like it exploded, and there had been a crater in the road about a metre distance from the car. The team was going to start looking for bomb parts, but they received orders to simply remain on standby. He too recalls seeing body and car parts around the area. Nicole Meilak

11:05 Police constable David Camilleri testifies next. On 8 October 2015 a call came in from someone who heard gunshots and found a dead man in Birkirkara. He appears to be testifying on the Carmel Chircop murder. They went on site, and conducted preliminary investigations. He had arrived on site at 7:25am, with police officials already on site by the time of arrival. Nicole Meilak

11:01 Another member of the CPD (Civil Protection Department) is testifying on the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder. He too is recalling what he did and say on the day, in line with previous witnesses from the CPD. Nicole Meilak

10:58 A member of the Civil Protection Department is now testifying. In 2017, he was stationed in Xemxija. On the day of the bomb explosion, he was asked to go on site. There were police and doctors on site. He too recalls seeing body parts scattered around the site. He says that he spent around 45 minutes on site on the day of the explosion, and again attended the site a few days later to help with some investigations. Nicole Meilak

10:54 Jason Borg is next to testify. He had driven a fire engine to the site of the bomb explosion in Bidnija on 16 October 2017. He couldn’t identify the car model, but a car key was found in the area belonging to a Peugeot-brand car, so he assumed that it was a Peugeot. He recalls seeing a leg somewhere on site. Nicole Meilak

10:50 A police official takes the stand. On 16 October 2017 he received information that a car bomb went off in Bidnija. Upon arrival, they found a burning car in the field. This official had been stationed in the Rapid Intervention Unit at the time. Nicole Meilak

10:46 Police constable Marlene Vella is next. She had been sent to pick up a set of keys from Maryrose Chircop, the widow of Carmel Chircop. She recalls that this happened on 22 May 2015. Nicole Meilak

10:44 Another police sergeant, Stephen Micallef, testifies next. On 4 December 2017 he was involved in the searches and seizing of boats belonging to the accused. No further details about the searches are given. Nicole Meilak

10:40 He steps away from the podium. Adrian Sciberras takes the stand. He had been tasked to carry out a search on this farmhouse the day of his arrest. The mobiles belonging to Jamie Vella and Robert Agius were seized by police. Nicole Meilak

10:38 One of the defence lawyers ask what was found during the search on the premises, but Cassar clarifies that he wasn't present for the search - he only knows that it happened. Nicole Meilak

10:34 Cassar is a police official. He was present for the arrest of Jamie Vella at a Mosta farmhouse on 4 December 2017. When they arrived, Vella wasn't present at the farmhouse. Later on, Vella's father came to the premises, and he was informed that there is an arrest warrant on his son. After this, Jamie Vella and Robert Agius came to the property. Nicole Meilak

10:31 And we're back, the magistrate has emerged from her chambers. The next witness is Jonathan Cassar. Nicole Meilak

09:57 The court will be having a 20 minute break before hearing more witnesses. Nicole Meilak

09:56 One of the defence lawyers ask him to clarify whether Agius would ask for particular specifications when renting. Camilleri reiterates that this wasn't the case. Cars would be rented for a minimum three days, as is company policy. The lawyer asks whether Agius would cause trouble, but Camilleri confirms that Agius was always cooperative and easy to cater to. Nicole Meilak

09:53 Every car returned back to the store would be searched, but not always by Camilleri himself, he says. The witness will now be cross-examined by the defence. Nicole Meilak

09:52 However, Camilleri would always tend to Agius, as he would call Camilleri personally. Sometimes, he would leave the car out for Agius to pick it up. He would have either picked up the keys to the care beforehand, or the keys would be left with someone in the office later in the day, when Camilleri himself could not be there. Nicole Meilak

09:50 Arnaud asks Camilleri about the general operations of the car rental store. It's operated by Camilleri, together with some managers and employers. At a given time, there would generally be three to four persons in the shop carrying out dutes. Nicole Meilak

09:46 Camilleri had passed on some rental information to police, but he can't remember the details. He is now being asked to recognise Robert Agius in the courtroom. Camilleri points towards Agius, but he doesn't recognise anyone else. Nicole Meilak

09:44 Agius was a normal client, Camilleri says. He would come regularly to Camilleri's car hire shop, around four to five times per year. Agius would rent whichever car would be available, never asking or caring for any specifications. Nicole Meilak

09:42 Scicluna steps away from the podium. The next witness is Jason Camilleri, who works in the car hire sector. Police had asked him whether a car had been rented out to some individuals. The witness recalls being approached three years ago, with police asking whether any cars were rented out to certain individuals. The witness can't recall which names were mentioned, but remembers Robert Agius being mentioned. Nicole Meilak

09:39 Scicluna will be testifying on the Carmel Chircop murder. He knew Chircop personally, as the latter had been the president of a band club. One day in October 2015, the sergeant saw Chircop on a Saturday afternoon. The lawyer was wearing a white shirt. He says that Chircop appeared angry, and he overheard Chircop saying "when are you going to give me those payments?". Nicole Meilak

09:34 He steps off the podium. Police sergeant Emanuel Scicluna testifies next. Nicole Meilak

09:33 A third photo is presented to the witness. The photo shows the garage used to hide the car that was holding weapons that were set to be used to kill Daphne Caruana Galizia. Nicole Meilak

09:32 Another photo was presented, with the witness recognising it as a block of apartments in Vjal l-Għarusa, Mosta. There was a garage nearby, where Muscat used to hide some weapons. All this is seen in a video taken by the police. Nicole Meilak

09:29 Reminder: Vincent Muscat was paid €20,000 for his part in the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop at a Birkirkara multi-storey garage in 2015. Nicole Meilak

09:28 Arnaud now presents the witness with some photos. One of which shows the Santa Venera garage used by Vincent Muscat 'il-Koħħu' both before and after the Chircop murder. Nicole Meilak

09:26 This police official will be exhibiting photo stills taken from a video showing a boat coming into the Grand Harbour on 23 November 2017. Nicole Meilak

09:24 Another police official is testifying. He had been present for searches connected to the case. One of the properties searched was Alfred Degiorgio's flat at St Paul's Bay. Various electronic items were seized during these searches, and he was told to conduct a data investigation to see what was of interest to the investigation in these devices. He conducted a similar exercise when Melvin Theuma and Yorgen Fenech were arrested. Nicole Meilak

09:21 The constable had found cigarette butts under a tree in the Bidnija area. When he made the discovery, he remained there until members of the police's forensic team came to investigate. Nicole Meilak

09:16 Superintendent Keith Arnaud presents a timeline to the witness, together with a declaration of the testimony of Adrian Agius. The declaration was signed by this constable. Nicole Meilak

09:14 The police official steps away from the podium, and a police constable takes the stand next. He is testifying on the Carmel Chircop murder. His job was to collect CCTV footage of the site of Chircop's murder. Nicole Meilak

09:11 He describes how he had seen body parts around the area, but couldn't identify who the victim was from those parts. Nicole Meilak

09:10 Schembri has finished testifying. Next is a police official, who on 16 October 2017 was told to go to Bidnija as a car bomb had gone off. This was the car bomb that killed Daphne Caruana Galizia. Nicole Meilak

09:07 So far Schembri has mentioned renting out two cars to Degiorgio: a White Hyundai and a white Peugot 407. He says that Degiorgio never asked for cars with detailed specifications. He testified about this Hyundai before in court, having testified three times in total. Nicole Meilak

09:01 First to the witness stand is Raymond Schembri. He owns two car hire garages, and has been in the business for over 20 years. He says that he rented out a white car to Alfred Degiorgio. He said that he had received a parking ticket on that car, courtesy of Degiorgio. Nicole Meilak

08:55 We have just entered the courtroom, and the magistrate has emerged from her chambers. The sitting is now in action. Nicole Meilak

08:40 Good morning. The court sitting hasn't started yet, but we are awaiting outside Hall 22 for the continuation of the compilation of evidence against Robert Agius, Adrian Agius, Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio.. Nicole Meilak