Maksar gang trial: Carmel Chircop's wife tells jurors how she discovered husband's death

We shall be closing the live blog here. A report on today’s proceedings will be uploaded later today.

Defence tries to establish legal limits of Agius involvement

Questioning, led by defense lawyer Nicholas Mifsud, seeks to establish the legal limits of Agius’s involvement in the deal.

Mangion, who previously testified that the transaction was recorded as a declaration between the two parties, acknowledges that while he could confirm payment amounts and dates, he was not aware of the finer details.

“No, not in detail, and I don’t expect to know,” he says, referring to the internal arrangements between the business parties.

Mifsud presses Mangion to verify that Adrian Agius had not guaranteed the promissory notes involved in the agreement. Mangion confirms.

The defense then asks about the guarantees and hypothecs that were tied to the transaction, specifically those attributed to Agius.

Mangion clarifies that both the mortgage-type securities and the guarantees attributed to Agius remained in place even after Chircop’s death.

With no further questions from the defense lawyer, a question arose from the jury. One juror asks Mangion: Do you know what happened to the promissory notes?” The notary replies plainly, “No.”

With no further questions, Mangion was dismissed.

The jury breaks for lunch till 3pm.

€750,000 transaction under the spotlight

The courtroom hears new testimony from notary Malcolm Mangion, who confirms a €750,000 transaction between Erom Company and lawyer Carmel Chircop was formalised.

Taking the stand, Mangion identified himself as a practicing notary since 2005. He was presented with a document by the prosecution related to the sizeable payment from Erom, the company co-owned by Ryan Schembri, to Chircop.

When asked whether he had any further knowledge about the transaction beyond the document itself, Mangion clarified that the sum was part of a bilateral declaration made between the two parties.

The €750,000 figure has been a recurring element in the inquiry, raising questions about whether the transfer was a straightforward loan, a business investment, or part of a more complex financial arrangement.

Mangion’s description of the document as a mutual declaration may suggest an attempt to keep the agreement more private or informal compared to typical notarial contracts.

Session resumes

Cross examinations resumes.

During questioning, defence lawyer Rene Darmanin asks Barteth whether he agreed that Agius had never tried to mislead him.

Barteth replies: “Adrian Agius always gave me clear information,” adding that in his personal experience, “I never had a problem with him.”

Defence lawyer Nicholas Mifsud then questions Barteth directly about his relationship with Schembri.

Barteth: “When it came to Schembri, he seemed like he never wanted me present in any deals,” he said, clarifying that he never had a close working relationship with him.

Mifsud then asks Barteth whether any money was transferred from Schembri himself.

Barteth replied that funds were transferred not by Schembri personally, but by Irom Company, the entity co-owned by Schembri, to Carmel Chircop.

No other defence lawyers pose additional questions, and the jury also declines to seek clarification, marking the end of Barteth’s session on the stand.

Half-hour break

The court will be taking a half-hour break. We will continue our reporting when the court is back in session.

Carmel told me Ryan Schembri ‘vanished’

Barteth tells the court that at one point during their continued communication, Chircop confided in him that Schembri had suddenly disappeared.

“Carmel told me that Ryan Schembri had vanished,” Barteth says. The news apparently reached Barteth through Adrian Agius, who was also involved in the same property transaction.

“Adrian told me they had a big problem. They didn’t know where Ryan was,” Barteth recalls.

According to Barteth, Adrian Agius had been relying on Schembri for the financial backing required to complete the warehouse acquisition. Schembri, who was one of the co-owners of Irom Company—the firm that ultimately purchased the Ħal Qormi property—was believed to be the main source of capital for the deal.

Following Schembri’s sudden disappearance, Barteth says Chircop began to express deep regret over his involvement in the transaction. “He felt guilty for what happened, even though it wasn’t his fault,” Barteth says. “He regretted getting into the deal.”

When asked to see if he recognised anyone in the courtroom, he says Adrian Agius. 

Ryan Schembri 

Property consultant takes the stand 

Property consultant Peter Barteth takes the stand, detailing a complex web of property negotiations involving Carmel Chircop, and several other figures tied to a warehouse in Ħal Qormi.

Replying to questions from the prosecution, Barteth confirms he was employed as a property consultant in 2015 and had held that role for approximately eight years. He testifies that in 2012, two brothers with the surname Bonnici approached him about selling a warehouse they owned in Ħal Qormi. They tasked him with finding potential buyers.

Barteth recounted that Carmel Chircop had been searching for a property with his assistance, and Barteth showed him the Ħal Qormi warehouse. Upon visiting the site, Chircop was reportedly impressed. “He liked it immediately,” Barteth tells the court.

When asked who else was present during the initial viewing, Barteth identifies another individual he believed was named Ray, whom he describes as Chircop’s partner. According to Barteth, Ray was also present at the viewing and took part in early discussions.

A preliminary agreement was later drawn up between Ray and Carmel Chircop to initiate the purchase process. Barteth says Ray had expressed interest in the property because of its potential for a large refrigerated space. When asked why Chircop was interested, Barteth says he didn’t know, stating only that the two were business partners.

However, complications soon arose. Planning authority issues reportedly discouraged Ray, who then backed out of the deal. Despite this, Chircop insisted on proceeding. “Carmel told me that until these issues are resolved, he was going to put in a deposit,” Barteth explains.

Later, Barteth received a call from a certain Charlene, a real estate agent, who told him she had a client in need of a large warehouse. Barteth recommended the same Ħal Qormi warehouse.

Charlene then introduced him to a man named Adrian who came to view the property.

When asked who was present during that visit, Barteth lists himself, Adrian, another unnamed partner, several individuals from the company Adrian represented, and Chircop.

The witness says the Ħal Qormi warehouse was eventually sold to Erom Company, a firm co-owned by Ryan Schembri and two other individuals. He also adds that he was not handed a copy of the agreement.

Witness sold boat to George Degiorgio

A witness who surname is Formosa but whose name was not audible where journalists are following proceedings is the first to take the witness stand on Thursday. He testifies that he had personally sold a boat named Maya to George Degiorgio, one of the men accused in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. No questions from both the defence lawyers and the jury are made.

He had bought the boat from which he detonated the bomb that killed Daphne Caruana Galizia for €30,000 in February 2017, it was revealed in seperate proceedings.

George Degiorgio (inset) paid €30,000 to buy the boat (in picture) but ownership was transferred to his brother Alfred

Good morning and welcome to our live reporting of the jury by trial of the four men accused of murdering Daphne Caruana Galizia and Carmel Chircop. The accused are Robert and Adrian Agius, known as the ‘Tal-Maksar’ brothers, Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio. Jaelle Borg, MaltaToday's court reporter, is in the courtroom following the proceedings.