Presidential pardon published: Vince Muscat has to identify people involved in Carmel Chircop murder

Vince Muscat will have say who commissioned and executed the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop in October 2015, according to the terms of the presidential pardon.

The pardon that carries the stamp of President George Vella was published on Wednesday afternoon by the government.

The pardon only covers Muscat’s involvement in the Chircop murder, which happened inside a garage complex in Birkirkara on 8 October 2015.

The conditions attached to the pardon make it incumbent on Muscat, known as il-Koħħu, to tell all he knows on the murder, including how the assassination was contracted, planned and executed.

Muscat will have to reveal the identity of the person or persons who commissioned the crime and those who executed it.

He will also have to reveal what money he received from those who commissioned and executed the crime and what portion he kept for himself. The pardon makes it clear that the amount Muscat received for this crime will be confiscated by the government.

Muscat will also be expected to give details on how he got to know the people involved in the crime, what murder weapon was used and where it was disposed of.

He also has to give details on the vehicle used during the murder, where it was kept and what happened to it after the crime was committed.

Muscat also has to map out the route used by the car to leave the scene of the crime and any other information linked to the assassination.

The pardon says that Muscat will be liable to pay his share of expenses for court experts appointed to investigate the murder.

Read explainer | The Carmel Chircop murder and the Maksar brothers arrest

Chircop was gunned down in Birkirkara and his murder remained unsolved until Muscat decided to speak as part of a plea bargain agreement for his involvement in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder.

Three men were arrested yesterday in connection with the Chircop murder. These are the brothers Adrian and Robert Agius, known as Tal-Maksar, and associate Jamie Vella.

Police said yesterday that two of those arrested were also being investigated for their involvement in the Caruana Galizia assassination.

MaltaToday reported last year that Muscat had indicated to police that Robert Agius and Jamie Vella had supplied the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia.

READ ALSO: Malta’s mystery: gangland wars and no justice