Jurors walk through Carmel Chircop murder crime scenes in Birkirkara, Santa Venera and Marsa

Jurors in the ongoing murder trial of Carmel Chircop were taken on a visit to a series of key locations on Friday afternoon, each of which plays a central role in the State’s version of how the 2015 assassination unfolded.

The visit was carried out after the conclusion of the morning’s court proceedings. The jury, along with the presiding judge, the accused, their legal teams, prosecution, parte civile lawyers, and reserve jurors, made their way to Birkirkara, where the first stop was a garage complex that has been frequently referred to in testimony over the past weeks.

There, the court inspected Garage Number 46, the very place where his body was found.

Present for the visit was Vince Muscat il-Koħħu, the man who has since turned State witness after admitting his involvement in the killing, with his version of events becoming a cornerstone of the case being built against the remaining accused — George Degiorgio, Robert Agius, Adrian Agius, and Jamie Vella.

At the Birkirkara site, jurors observed the physical layout of the garages and were shown the immediate environment, giving them a better sense of how the murder could have unfolded spatially. Muscat provided explanations on-site.

The getaway trail

Following the inspection in Birkirkara, the group retraced what Muscat claims was the getaway route taken after the shooting. Their next destination was a garage in Santa Venera, which Muscat identified as the place where the stolen car used in the crime was abandoned.

The group then proceeded to a flat in Santa Venera, another location that Muscat testified about in court. The apartment, which at the time had been rented out by Jamie Vella, served as a brief hideout following the crime. Muscat said that after abandoning the vehicle, the men went to this flat to change their clothes, with the used clothing later placed into a garbage bag and thrown away.

Muscat also said that some evidence, including personal items and clothing worn during the killing, were deliberately disposed of to avoid detection.

Final Stop: Marsa

The final location visited by the court was Marsa, specifically an area close to the Tiger Bar. According to Muscat, this was the point where the firearm used in the murder was ultimately thrown away — marking the final step in the attempted erasure of physical evidence.

Prosecutors Godwin Cini, Danika Vella and Anthony Vella are representing the Attorney General’s office.

Defence lawyer Nicholas Mifsud is appearing for Adrian Agius, Ishmael Psaila and Amadeus Cachia for Jamie Vella, Alfred Abela and Rene Darmanin representing Robert Agius, and Noel Bianco and Leslie Cuschieri for George Degiorgio.

Jason Azzopardi and Therese Comodini Cachia are assisting the Caruana Galizia family, while Vince Galea is assisting the Chircop family.