Joseph Muscat named in bomb testimony in Daphne Caruana Galizia murder trial

Updated 12pm with reaction from Muscat

Joseph Muscat has been named by a witness in court as having allegedly paid for the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, during a dramatic testimony that also linked other senior figures and criminal players to the 2017 bombing. 

The claim was made by Nicole Brignone, a woman with a long history of drug use and criminal association. She testified that Kevin Ellul, also allegedly deeply involved in criminal networks, told her that the former prime minister “paid someone” to have the bomb placed.  

Muscat, who has not been charged with any crime linked to the Caruana Galizia murder, vehemently denies any connection to the murder. He resigned as prime minister in January 2020 amid a series of protests linked to the fallout from the Caruana Galizia investigation.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday he described Brignone's testimony as a "heinous lie". 

Brignone was testifying during the trial of Robert Agius (ta' Maksar) and Jamie Vella, who are accused of supplying the bomb that exploded in Caruana Galizia's car, killing her on October 16, 2017.

Who's who in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder case. Graphic: Christian Busuttil/Design Studio

Brignone's testimony, originally given in secret before an inquiring magistrate in July 2022, was read out in court on Wednesday. When the section about Muscat was read out, the defence asked her to confirm it.  She asked for a chair, began crying and confirmed it again on oath.

Brignone said Ellul had also referred to Muscat as “iblah” (idiot), and claimed he named other politicians in connection with the plot. Her testimony also included references to Keith Schembri, Muscat’s former chief of staff, claiming he too was “involved in some way” in the murder plot, though she did not provide further detail. 

Regarding who exactly Muscat reportedly "paid", Brignone was not clear. 

"I am sure that Joseph paid someone, that’s what Ellul told me, but I do not remember where he got the information from," she said in her original testimony.  She mentioned Joseph Muscat, Keith Schembri and Yorgen Fenech, who is awaiting trial for complicity in the murder.

"Joseph paid Yorgen, but I cannot remember clearly if Joseph paid Keith or Yorgen," she said. 

Elllul was not asked about any reference to Muscat when he later appeared as a witness on Wednesday. 

Brignone said Ellul was close to George (Fulu) and Alfred (il-Ciniz) Degiorgio, the brothers who are serving prison sentences for carrying out the bombing.  She said the brothers would call Ellul from prison and they reportedly told him that he would "not be named".

She claimed Ellul was aware of the bomb plot in advance and was approached to participate in it, but refused. “I’m not stupid,” he reportedly told her, despite staying closely involved with the men allegedly behind the assassination. Brignone also said the self-confessed middleman in the Caruana Galizia case, Melvin Theuma, “knew everything.” 

Kevin Ellul, described as 'notorious' by police, survived a bomb explosion in 2018. Photo: Times of Malta

She described how Ellul had "a lot of cash" in 100 euro notes at home and also has a house in Italy.  He told her that "if they send for him", he would go to Italy and asked asked her to go with him. She said she assumed that would be “if something happens in connection with Caruana Galizia”. 

She said Ellul harboured a deep grudge against the ta’ Maksar criminal gang, who he believed had betrayed him. Thery were once friends but "became enemies", she said. She alleged that he had planned to place a bomb near their home and studied their property in detail, turning off phones to avoid signal tracking.

Together they would "keep a look out" at the Maksar property, but she was unable to recall in court where this was. 

Brignone’s account placed Ellul at the centre of a web of criminal activity involving drug trafficking, weapon stockpiling, and bomb-making. She told the court about seeing six sacks (tal-gwiez) at Ellul’s garage, possibly located in the upmarket Santa Marija estate in Mellieħa, and that he told her they contained explosive. 

"I know there are homes next to the garage, and there are beautiful houses there," she said. 

She described his possession of a revolver, which she later sold, and a visit to Għargħur, where she fired a weapon under his supervision. “He opened a kilo of cocaine in front of me,” she said.  

Brignone admitted to years of drug addiction, being homeless, and maintaining intimate relationships with both Ellul and Brandon Cachia.  She said she was around 17 years old when she met Ellul on Facebook in the "summer before 2022" and they took drugs together. She kept many of his secrets and only came forward because she wanted to tell the truth, she told the court.

Asked if she feared getting in trouble for her statements, she said: “Will I get into trouble for saying these things?” She was told she needed to tell the truth. 

In testimony on Tuesday, Cachia said Brignone had told him that Ellul supplied the bomb but, when confronted, she denied she had made this claim.

She confirmed that on one hand Ellul would tell her that he refused and on the other, he would "prepare or supply". But he "did not tell her he did the bomb". 

Brignone also referred to a man named Pawlu Spagnol, who she said also " knew something about Daphne’s case".

Prosecutors Godwin Cini, Danika Vella and Anthony Vella are prosecuting on behalf of the AG Office. Lawyer Nicholas Mifsud is assisting Adrian Agius.

Lawyers Ishmael Psaila and Amadeus Cachia are assisting Jamie Vella. Lawyers Alfred Abela and René Darmanin are assisting Robert Agius. Lawyers Noel Bianco and Leslie Cuschieri are assisting George Degiorgio.

Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Therese Comodini Cachia is assisting the Caruana Galizia family.

The trial continues