Suspect in Caruana Galizia murder wants HSBC heist trial delayed

Vincent Muscat, one of three men accused of the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, has filed urgent Constitutional proceedings to delay his trial by jury for a 2010 bank robbery.

Muscat, known as il-Kohhu, was due to go on trial on June 18th this year, after he was indicted for his part in the 2010 HSBC robbery. Muscat was one of two men charged in connection with the attempted robbery of HSBC’s headquarters back in May 2010. The heist was foiled by the police, following a violent shoot-out in which as many as 67 rounds were fired at police.

The two men were granted bail in November 2010, despite objections from the police and an appeal by the Attorney General.

Lawyer Arthur Azzopard, acting on behalf of Musact, filed a “very urgent” request to the First Hall of the Civil Court in its Constitutional jurisdiction just days ago, arguing that the negative pre-trial publicity regarding his alleged involvement in the Caruana Galizia murder would prejudice potential jurors against his case.

This morning the case was heard in an urgent sitting before Judge Jacqueline Padovani Grima.

The court said, having understood the ‘considerable demands’ on the legal timeframe in which this case is to be decided and in order for there to be time for appeal from either one of the parties, the court said it would be wise to give a single decision on all the pleas.

The court decreed that the defence will exhibit all its evidence in one sitting on 11 May, and that the Attorney General would do the same a week later, before it proceeds to judgment.