Testimony shows Robert Abela lied when he said no politician implicated in journalist’s murder, PN says

Updated at 6:00 pm with ADPD statement  

Karol Aquilina has accused the Prime Minister of lying when he said that no politician, past and present, was implicated in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The Nationalist MP said testimony given by convicted murderer Vince Muscat today has contracted Robert Abela’s assertion that no politicians were implicated in the journalist’s murder.

Under oath, Muscat testified on an alleged plot in 2015 to assassinate Caruana Galizia, which he claims was discussed in a meeting between George Degiorgio and former minister Chris Cardona. The plan did not materialise.

Degiorgio and his brother Alfred are charged with planting and detonating the bomb that killed the journalist in 2017. Muscat had admitted to the charge and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Muscat also claimed in court that the trio knew they would be arrested some three weeks before the police raid on the potato shed in Marsa in December 2017.

According to Muscat, it was Alfred Degiorgio who received the tip on the impending arrests from Cardona.

The PN said in a statement on Tuesday that the court testimony further exposed the link between organised crime and the Labour government.

“For the second time in less than a week, court testimony gives Robert Abela the lie… Vince Muscat has testified under oath that former PL deputy leader Chris Cardona was involved in the 2015 plot to kill Caruana Galizia, he was involved in another major crime and referenced another unnamed person who is a sitting minister as being involved in a major crime,” Aquilina said.

He called on the Prime Minister to identify the unnamed minister and kick him out of Cabinet.

“Today’s testimony shows that the State not only failed to protect Daphne Caruana Galizia’s life but shows that people at the higher echelons of power in the Labour government played an significant part in planning Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder and executing it, and later trying to cover the tracks of those who perpetrated the crime,” Aquilina said.

Prime Minister should issue statement  

Following revelations in court earlier on Tuesday, the ADPD said the Prime Minister Robert Abela should issue a statement on the claims.  

"Following this morning's testimony in court by Vince Muscat 'il-Koħħu', during which he said that he and his accomplices were aided in their criminal activity by an ex-Minister and a sitting Minister, we expect the Prime Minister to issue an immediate statement and take immediate and necessary action," Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said.