The Trial Against Yorgen Fenech: The Kohhu Continues to Testify in Court About Alleged Payment and Plan to Kill Daphne
Vince Muscat continued giving evidence in the jury trial against Yorgen Fenech, where he alleged that former Minister Chris Cardona was aware of an alleged €150,000 payment and that George Degiorgio wanted to ensure that Daphne Caruana Galizia died in the attack.
The Trial Against Yorgen Fenech: The Kohhu Continues to Testify in Court About Alleged Payment and Plan to Kill Daphne
The jury trial against Yorgen Fenech for the murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia continued yesterday in the Court of Law in Valletta, before Magistrate Edwina Grima. Vince Muscat, known as the Kohhu, continued giving evidence after he previously described how the attack was planned and executed.
Muscat, who in 2021 was acquitted following a pardon agreement, spoke about an alleged €150,000 payment. He said that according to Alfred Degiorgio, former Minister Chris Cardona was aware of the money because he had sent him a message on WhatsApp. When the journalist could not be found before the attack, Muscat said that Alfred Degiorgio proposed that they ask Cardona where she was. "If we don't ask Chris Cardona, who do we ask?" he recounted that he was told.
According to Muscat's testimony, Cardona was receiving updates from what was a police official Silvio Valletta, not directly but through an intermediary. When the Court asked whether the person was a lawyer, Muscat said he knew he was a lawyer but could not remember his name. After prosecutor Godwin Cini read part of his previous testimony to refresh his memory, Muscat confirmed that according to what Alfred Degiorgio had told him, the intermediary was lawyer Edward Gatt.
Muscat also explained that George Degiorgio wanted to ensure that Caruana Galizia died and not merely be killed. He said that this was the reason why the group used a small bottle filled with petrol, to ensure that the victim died. The explosive device was placed inside the car after Alfred Degiorgio opened the door and placed it under the driver's seat.
Prosecutor Cini attempted to refer to testimony from Muscat of 8 June 2021, but defence lawyer Charles Mercieca objected. Mercieca argued that the prosecution could not continue questioning the same point "in the hope of getting an answer it wants". Magistrate Grima supported the defence objection, and said that the witness was testifying helpfully, and that the prosecution could not continue asking the same question after his record had been refreshed and he had answered consistently.
Yesterday, Muscat had alleged that another plan to kill Caruana Galizia had already existed in 2015, and that Alfred Degiorgio had told him that Cardona wanted them to "remove Daphne Caruana Galizia". According to Muscat, the original plan was to shoot, but it was never carried out because a €50,000 payment was not made. These allegations were made helpfully and have not yet been decided by the Court.
Source: Lovin Malta
Source: Lovin Malta