As it happened: Maksar gang jailed for life for Caruana Galizia, Chircop murders
Caruana Galizia family say the sentence is 'a step towards a safer world'
Four members of the Maksar criminal gang have been jailed for life for the murders of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and lawyer Carmel Chircop.
Robert Agius, known as Ta’ Maksar, and his associate Jamie Vella were last week convicted of supplying the car bomb that killed Caruana Galizia in October 2017, with jurors reaching an 8-1 verdict.
Vella along with Adrian Agius and George Degiorgio, were also convicted of the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop, who was shot four times as he entered a garage near his home in October 2015.
There was an audible gasp in the courtroom on Tuesday as Madam Justice Edwina Grima handed down life sentences for Robert Agius, 41, from Rabat, Adrian Agius, 46, from Mellieħa, Jamie Vella, 42, from Mosta, and George Degiorgio, 62, from St Paul’s Bay.
Daphne Caruana Galizia was murdered in a car bomb outside her home in October 2017. Photo: Pippa Zammit CutajarIn her sentencing remarks, the judge said the jury had delivered a "strong verdict" and that both murders were premeditated. She said the court had also taken into consideration the effect that both murders have had on society.
Degiorgio is already serving 40 years after pleading guilty, along with his brother, Alfred, of planting and detonating the bomb.
With the conviction of the bomb suppliers, six people have now either been found guilty or come clean about their role in the journalist’s car bombing – the two bomb suppliers, the Degiorgio brothers along with their accomplice Vince Muscat and the confessed middleman Melvin Theuma.
Theuma claims the murder was commissioned by businessman Yorgen Fenech, who is yet to stand trial. Fenech denies the charges.
The trial of the bomb suppliers heard that Caruana Galizia was murdered "for her journalism" while Chircop was shot dead so that Adrian Agius wouldn't have to pay a debt he owed to the lawyer.
Carmel Chircop was gunned down as he walked into his garage near his home.'A step towards a safer world'
In a statement, the Caruana Galizia family said they hoped the sentences will be "a step towards a safer world for journalists by signalling to potential killers that there are heavy penalties to pay when a journalist is murdered."
Lawyer Vincent Galea, speaking on behalf of the Chircop family, said the sentencing was the end of a long chapter.
Daphne Caruana Galizia's widower, Peter, and Carmel Chircop's widow Mary Rose held a brief conversation outside the courthouse in Valletta before leaving.
Daphne Caruana Galizia's husband Peter, (centre) and his lawyers Therese Comodini Cachia (r) and Jason Azzopardi (l) meet with Carmel Chircop's wife, Mary Rose, and her lawyer Vince Galea outside court. Photo: Matthew MirabelliOne of the hitmen in the Caruana Galizia murder, Vince Muscat, was the prosecution’s star witness after reaching a plea deal.
He told jurors how the hitmen turned to the Ta’ Maksar brothers to get their hands on a bomb after deciding against an earlier plan to shoot Caruana Galizia.
Muscat described how, once the bomb arrived, he helped Alfred Degiorgio move it from Naxxar to the same Santa Venera garage which, years earlier, was used to store the stolen getaway car used in Carmel Chircop’s murder.
He also gave a vivid account of Chircop’s murder, describing how Agius had commissioned the hit over a financial dispute with the lawyer.
Muscat described how Degiorgio drove the car, with Muscat and Vella seated in the back seat donning balaclavas, with an AK-47 rifle, brought along “just in case”, together with Vella’s revolver and Degiorgio’s automatic pistol.
When Chircop approached, he opened the garage door and Vella shot him four or five times, before making their getaway.
LIVE BLOG
Thank you for joining us
4.28pm Thank you for joining us today and for following our coverage over the last six weeks of this trial.
'A step towards a safer world'
4.24pm In a statement, the Caruana Galizia family said they hoped the sentences will be "a step towards a safer world for journalists by signalling to potential killers that there are heavy penalties to pay when a journalist is murdered."
Watch: Chircop family reaction
4.13pm Lawyer Vince Galea tells the media that the Chircop family are satisfied with the sentence.
Court costs
4.09pm Regarding the murder of Chircop, the court ordered Degiorgio, Adrian Agius and Vella to pay €9,726.98 each to the Court Registry.
In the case of Caruana Galizia’s murder, the court ordered Vella and Robert Agius to pay €8,722.08 each to the Court Registry.
Two families meet
4pm The families of the two murder victims briefly met outside court before leaving. Daphne Caruana Galizia's widower Peter, had a conversation with Carmel Chircop's widow Mary Rose before they went on their way without making any comment to the media.
Daphne Caruana Galizia's husband Peter, (centre) and his lawyers Therese Comodini Cachia (r) and Jason Azzopardi (l) meet with Carmel Chircop's widow, Mary Rose, and her lawyer Vince Galea outside court. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
Daphne Caruana Galizia's elderly father Michael Vella leaves court accompanied by his daughters, from left, Corrine Vella, Mandy Mallia and Helene Asciak. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
Mary Rose Chircop, widow of Carmel Chircop, leaves court with her lawyer Vince Galea. Photo: Matthew MirabelliChircop family: 'the end of a long chapter'
3.39pm Speaking outside court, Vince Galea, the lawyer for the family of murdered lawyer Carmel Chircop said the family were satisfied with the result and that this is finally the end of a long chapter.
Gasp in the courtroom
3.30pm There was an audible gasp throughout the courtroom when Madam Justice Grima handed down the sentence.
The judge has left the courtroom. The sitting is over.
Robert Agius, Adrian Agius, George Degiorgo and Jamie Vella have been told they will spend the rest of their lives in prison.
BREAKING: Life in prison
3.27pm All have been sentenced to life in prison.
'A strong verdict'
3.25pm In her sentencing remarks, Edwina Grima says: “Contrary to what the defence said this is a strong verdict.”
She says that the court is also taking into consideration the effect that both murders have had on society.
Premeditated murder
3.21pm The court reflected on all the submissions, taking into consideration the rights of the victims and the accused. "Both murders were premeditated," Edwina Grima says.
Summary of submissions
3.14pm The court notes that the prosecution said the verdict was a strong one and therefore the prosecution asked for the maximum punishment of life in prison. The judge is now giving a summary of the submissions by the defence, which we heard earlier.
Judge reads out charges
3.10pm The judge is reading through all the charges brought against the accused.
Robert Agius and Vella were last week convicted of supplying the car bomb that killed Caruana Galizia in October 2017, with jurors reaching an 8-1 verdict.
Vella along with Adrian Agius and George Degiorgio, was also convicted of the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop, who was shot four times as he entered a garage near his home.
Judge enters
3.04pm The judge has entered. Everyone is seated except for the four convicted men.
We're back
3pm Everyone has re-entered the court room as we wait for Madam Justice Edwina Grima to deliver the final sentencing, based on the jury’s verdict, and the prosecution and defence’s submissions.
The feeling in the courtroom is tense.
Postponed until 3pm
1.56pm We have a little longer to wait. We've just been told the sitting will resume at 3pm.
Who are the Maksars?
1.30pm Jacob Borg profiles the Maksar gang, who have long been on the radar of law enforcement. Read how Robert and Adrian Agius rose through the underworld.
Sitting resumes at 2pm
12.20pm The lawyers have given their submissions. Madam Justice Edwina Grima has postponed the sitting until 2pm, when she will sentence the four men.
In the meantime, you can catch up on the other huge story that has broken while we've been in court: PN leader Bernard Grech has announced his resignation.
We'll be back at 2pm.
Jamie Vella's lawyer makes submissions
12.17pm Lawyer Ismael Psaila, representing Jamie Vella, makes his submissions. Vella is the only one of the four to be convicted of both murders.
But his lawyer argues Vella's clean criminal conduct up until now should be be considered when handing down the sentence.
George Degiorgio is already serving a sentence for admitting to his role as a hitman in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder. Photo: Chris Sant FournierGeorge Degiorgo's lawyer speaks
12.07pm George Degiorgio's lawyer Leslie Cuschieri begins by pointing out that Degiorgio is already serving a 40-year sentence for the Caruana Galizia murder.
He was not convicted last week in connection with that case, but rather with the Carmel Chircop murder.
Cuschieri also argues that the jury did not give a unanimous verdict. He claims this means that one of the jurors voted against the others as a "mercy vote".
"When there is a verdict of 7-2, not only is this a message ot to give the accused life, but it is also a sign that more people are doubting that he should be found guilty," he argues.
“Since there is an element of doubt, the court should gather all that has come out in the past weeks and decide whether the accused should be sentenced between 12-40 years imprisonment,” he says.
Adrian Agius' lawyer argues against life
12pm Lawyer Nicholas Mifsud for Adrian Agius, said his client was found guilty by a majority verdict of 7-2. “Since we had a jury that did not give the message that he deserves life in prison, then we cannot ignore this," he argues.
He says the testimonies about Agius' character should be considered and show he was a good partner, father and is willing to keep learning.
Robert Agius' lawyer argues against life
11.56am Lawyer Alfred Abela, on behalf of Robert Agius, pointed out that since the jury found Agius guilty by 8-1, this shows that he does not deserve life imprisonment.
He claims Agius is the person who had the "least involvement in this homicide".
He asked the judge to consider the sentence that Alfred, George and Vince Muscat received for the murder of Caruana Galzia, and sentence Agius accordingly, considering he was not as involved.
Hitmen Alfred and George Degiorgio are serving 40 years in prison after admitting their role in the murder. Vince Muscat is serving a 15-year-sentence after a plea deal in exchange for his testimony in this case.
Chircop family lawyer speaks
11.51am It's now the turn of Vince Galea, lawyer for the Chircop family. He says that after the verdict last week, the victim's wife Mary Rose told him: “This verdict wil not bring Carmel back, but we’re pleased that this has brought justice".
'An attack on journalism'
11.46am The family's lawyer is speaking about the wider impact of the murder of a journalist.
“This was an attack on the fourth pillar of democracy… It scared journalists in Malta and journalists outside Malta," she says.
The impact of her death was also felt throughout Europe, she says.
'Her grandchildren will never meet her'
11.42am Therese Comodini Cachia is continuing, describing how a part of the family died along with the journalist.
Caruana Galizia was only in her 50s when she died, a mother married with children, and her parents still alive. Her mother has since died in the eight years since the murder.
She also mentioned how Caruana Galizia and her husband were excited about the prospect of having grandchildren. “Now her grandchildren will never be able to meet her.”
She recalled how, during the trial, Matthew Caruana Galizia, had testified about seeing dismembered parts of his mother when he arrived on the scene of the car bomb attack.
How the family reacted to the verdict
11.40am Last week Matthew Caruana Galizia spoke of the relief the family felt when the bomb suppliers were found guilty.
'Cold-blooded murder': Caruana Galizia family lawyer speaks
11.33am Lawyer Therese Comodini Cachia, who is representing Daphne Carauna Galizia’s family, said the court must consider not only the gravity of the crime, but also the effect it has had on the victim’s family.
She recalled meeting the family shortly after the assassination on October 16, 2017. “They realised that they cannot achieve the dreams that they had as a family,” she tells the court.
She asks for Robert Agius and Jamie Vella to be sentenced to life in prison for supplying the bomb.
The lawyer said the “cold blooded” murder was planned, adding: "Throughout the years that we have been supporting the family, the accused have never shown any remorse."
Prosecution asks for life in prison
11.21am The prosecution asks for life in prison for all four men. "Let's send a strong message to society," Anthony Vella, lawyer for the Attorney General says.
The sentence needs to be a just one for both the family and society, he says.
Adrian Agius photographed during a visit to the site of the murder of Carmel Chircop, which he commissioned. Photo: Chris Sant FournierAdrian Agius' partner on 'reliable' man
11.16am Adrian Agius' partner is next up. She says she has known him a long time and they've been in a relationship for seven years. Testifying about his character, she calls him "reliable and supportive".
She says that even while in prison he has been doing everything he can to keep in contact with his child.
"I trust him and I believe him," she tells the court.
Good behaviour
11.12am Next up, a psychologist who assessed Adrian Agius on his arrest takes the stand. She describes how he has taken eight educational courses and completed an O-level while being held on remand. There have been no reports made against him, random drugs tests were always negative and he was always co-operative with her.
Adrian Agius therapist
11.05am Before the judge delivers her sentence, there will be a number of submissions by the prosecution and defence. But first, Adrian Agius' therapist takes the stand.
Maria Jones testifies about the good relationship he has with his son, even though he has been held in preventative custody since his arrest in 2021.
Packed courtroom
11.03am Good morning and welcome to the Valletta court, where Madam Justice Edwina Grima will deliver the sentence for the Maksar gang, who were last week found gulity of involvement in the murders of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and lawyer Carmel Chircop.
The courtroom is packed with lawyers, family members, police officers, court martials and the judge has just entered the courtroom.