The lawyer for one of the men accused of supplying the bomb that killed Daphne Caruana Galizia is requesting the testimonies of former minister Chris Cardona and lawyer David Gatt.
Jamie Vella’s lawyer Ismael Psaila filed a court application arguing that the prosecution is withholding evidence from hitman Vince Muscat’s testimony, known as il-Koħħu.
Vella is also among those facing charges for the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop, who was shot dead in the doorway of his Birkirkara garage in 2015.
Back in January, Vella's lawyer filed the tenth bail application for him.
The court application, seen by Times of Malta, states that in Muscat's testimony he implicated Cardona and Gatt in both the 2015 and 2017 plans to murder Caruana Galizia.
The court previously heard that in 2015, there was an abandoned plan to murder the journalist. Cardona was already implicated by Muscat in this 2015 plot.
The court application argued that the prosecution was very selective with Muscat's witness testimony as it disregarded allegations made against Cardona and Gatt. It also said it was not clear whether or not Cardona or Gatt were ever questioned or investigated.
Psaila added that the prosecution “conveniently” focused on investigating the four people on trial for this case, rather than Cardona and Gatt.
Through this court application, the defence is requesting confirmation on whether or not Cardona and Gatt have been investigated and requesting that they testify before trial commences.
Vella, George Degiorgio and the Maksar brothers, Adrian and Robert Agius will be facing trial after being charged with involvement in the murder of Caruana Galizia.
On Friday, a court presided by Madam Justice Edwina Grima, heard Attorney General lawyers Anthony Vella and Godwin Cini contest this request. They both questioned the timing of this court application which might delay the trial.
Vella also argued that the defence did not explain the relevance that these parts of Muscat’s testimony had to do with this case.
Cini argued that even if Caruana and Gatt are brought forward to testify, they have every right not to say a word.
Defence lawyer Psaila argued that they require all the evidence to fulfil justice.
“Our intention is one. To go to a jury trial,” Psaila said, denying claims of delaying the trial.