‘Koħħu’ claims George Degiorgio met with Chris Cardona to discuss hit on Caruana Galizia

Hitman Vince Muscat has told a court that he drove George Degiorgio to Portomaso in 2014 to meet with Chris Cardona to discuss the €150,000 hit on Daphne Caruana Galizia, three years prior to her murder.

This new information came to light during Muscat's testimony in a court action for damages instituted by Caruana Galizia's family.

The self-proclaimed hitman, better known as il-Koħħu, is currently serving a 15-year sentence for his role in the 2017 assassination of the renowned journalist.

During his testimony before Madam Justice Anna Felice, Muscat spoke about his involvement in planting and detonating the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia.

He also went on to elaborate on an earlier failed attempt on the journalist's life, which he claimed was masterminded by former economy minister Cardona and included convicted hitman Degiorgio.

According to Muscat, Degiorgio had informed him about a meeting with Cardona "some three years before" the 2017 plot. Muscat stated that he drove Degiorgio to Portomaso and later learned that the meeting was about settling the sum to "get rid" of Caruana Galizia.

He further claimed that the €150,000 came from Cardona, although he never saw the former minister himself.

Cardona had rented a flat in Portomaso in 2014 and denied a report by Caruana Galizia that the rent was being paid by businessmen involved in the power station.

Muscat also spoke about spending "some days" keeping watch at Bidnija, where the journalist lived, but claimed that "it seemed as though no one lived there."

He linked David Gatt to the failed murder plan, suggesting that Gatt was "the broker” in the murder plan. He testified that Degiorgio would pressure Gatt to get the money from Cardona.

During cross-examination by lawyer Anna Mallia, assisting businessman Yorgen Fenech who stands accused of complicity in Caruana Galizia's murder case, Muscat stated that he had never heard of Fenech until the bomb occurred.

He also could not remember if he had mentioned this to lead investigator Superintendent Keith Arnaud.

The Caruana Galizia family was represented by lawyers Joseph Zammit Maempel, Peter Caruana Galizia, Eve Borg Costanzi, and Matthew Cutajar, while lawyer Daniel Attard assisted Muscat.