Abela confirms Cabinet has received another pardon request from Vince Muscat

The Prime Minister Robert Abela has confirmed that cabinet has received another presidential pardon request from Vince Muscat ‘il-Koħħu’. 

Abela confirmed the request had been received outside parliament on Monday evening.  

Muscat, who has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to his part in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, was granted a pardon in February for his role in the 2015 gunning down of lawyer Carmel Chircop. 

As part of the deal made, Muscat agreed to provide information on the men who ordered the killing of the well-known Birkirkara lawyer. 

Muscat wants to divulge information related to two failed armed robberies and an assassination. It is now known which crimes are referenced but all three cases remain unsolved this far. 

Testifying in Court this month, Muscat referred to a “big job” allegedly involving former economy minister Chris Cardona as well as an unnamed serving minister. 

He had also given details of a failed 2010 HSBC heist, without identifying anyone, in a failed attempt to get a presidential pardon on a number of crimes he was involved in. He has also indicated he can identify a sitting minister that an associate of his had told him was involved in planning the heist.  

Brothers Robert and Adrian Agius, along with their associate Jamie Vella, have since been arrested and charged in court with their alleged role in the murders of Chircop and Caruana Galizia.  

A previous request by Muscat for a presidential pardon for his part in the Caruana Galizia murder was rejected earlier this year.