Daphne Caruana Galizia murder: Magistrate leads on-site visit at Bidnija

Police prosecutors are this morning giving the court an explanation of where and how the evidence linked to Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder was collected from Bidnija and its surroundings.

The compilation of evidence against three men accused with the assassination continued on Wednesday morning with an on-site visit by the court.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit, police Inspector Keith Arnaud and defence lawyer Martin Fenech

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit was present and the visit was concentrated on the Victoria Lines, a ridge overlooking Bidnija road from where investigators believe one of the suspects was posted to spot Caruana Galizia’s movements.

The accused are brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio, and their friend Vince Muscat. In court, the police said Alfred Degiorgio had acted as a spotter, phoning his brother to inform him that Caruana Galizia had left the house.

The ridge where one of the accused acted as a spotter has a direct line of sight to Daphne Caruana Galizia's house and the road leading up to it

The police said the phone call between the brothers lasted the amount of time it took for Caruana Galizia’s car to travel from the house to the spot where the bomb was detonated. The police have told the court the bomb was detonated by an SMS sent by George Degiorgio from his boat inside the Grand Harbour.

Defence lawyer Martin Fenech and lawyer Jason Azzopardi, who is representing the Caruana Galizia family

The accused were also on-site with their lawyers. The media was kept a considerable distance away.

Police inspector Keith Arnaud explained is believed to have indicated to the magistrate the location where a cigarette butt was collected from which the DNA of Alfred Degiorgio was extracted.

Caruana Galizia was murdered on 16 October last year, shortly after leaving the house. The powerful bomb was placed beneath the driver's seat.

Arrests were made on 4 December in a massive police and army operation. The police had arrested 10 men but only charged three. The rest were released on police bail. The accused were arrested at the former potato shed in Marsa, where Degiorgio's boat was also berthed.

The magistrate has ruled there is enough prima facie evidence for the accused to stand trial but the prosecution has opted to continue with the compilation of evidence before issuing a bill of indictment.

The magistrate has yet to decide on a request for bail filed on Tuesday by the defence.