Judge Antonio Mizzi has declared that he was never approached regarding the two requests for bail submitted by the Degorgio brothers, who are accused of murdering journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The retired judge was named in taped conversations between the middleman in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder, Melvin Theuma, and alleged mastermind Yorgen Fenech. 

In the recordings, Mr Fenech claimed that Keith Schembri, then the OPM chief of staff, had spoken to "Mizzi" to urge him to grant the Degiorgio brothers and a third accused man, Vince Muscat, bail.   

The 'Mizzi' mentioned in the recordings was identified by Mr Theuma as the former judge in court. 

All three accused men were arrested in December 2017 and remain in police custody, having been denied bail several times, including by judge Mizzi. 

In a statement issued on Wednesday by Judge Mizzi’s lawyer Stephen Tonna Lowell, the lawyer said Judge Mizzi had asked to submit a voluntary declaration to prosecuting officers in the case against Mr Fenech.

The declaration was made at a meeting with inspectors Keith Arnaud and Kurt Zahra.

Judge Mizzi declared that nobody ever approached him or spoke to him regarding the two requests for bail submitted by the bothers.

He said he denied the two requests for bail on August 7 and October 2, 2018, respectively.

The judge's wife, former Labour MEP Marlene Mizzi, had already vehemently denied the claims made in the tape and called for Mr Theuma's presidential pardon to be revoked.