A self-confessed killer of Daphne Caruana Galizia has given a detailed account of how he helped murder her with a 500g car bomb that was kept in a child's shoebox.
Vince Muscat described how he waited after the bomb detonated until he saw smoke from the car before his accomplice drove him from the scene to get some tea.
He was testifying against Robert Agius, Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio, who are accused of supplying the device that was detonated by remote control at around 3pm on October 16, 2017.
Muscat is also testifying against a fourth man, Adrian Agius as the group also face charges of killing lawyer Carmel Chircop.
It was not the first time Muscat, known as il-Koħħu, has testified: he gave evidence against his fellow alleged hitmen last week.
However this week, he gave a more detailed account of how the weapons were procured, alleging that rifles, an AK 47 and the bomb were all brought in by Vella and Agius from Italy, to where they regularly travelled "for drugs".
While he didn't actually see the weapons arrive in Malta, they were discussed and tested in his presence. The bomb was brought in via catamaran at some point in September and was left under a boat in the Marsa potato shed for he and his alleged associate Alfred Degiorgio to move.
Muscat said he was unsure of the exact date, leading to criticism from the defence lawyers, who said it was "not on" for him to not know the detail.
Vella and Agius would frequently go to the potato sheds and also trained the hitmen on how to use the weapons, Muscat testified.
Muscat described how he and Alfred Degiorgio closely noted Caruana Galizia's habits, approaching the house at night and getting close enough to watch her at her laptop. They even knew that when a particular small downstairs window was lit, the journalist would be working there.
While there was an initial plan to shoot her, one of the accused, George Degiorgio "preferred a bomb" because it would be easier to escape.
On the night of the murder, Muscat described how he moved the bomb, which was in a child's shoebox, to the scene. After practicing on another car, supplied by Agius, Alfred Degiorgio broke into Caruana Galizia's car and planted the bomb in the early hours of the morning.
He described how the next afternoon, Degiorgio called his brother, George to tell him Caruana Galizia was at the car. He detonated the bomb while at sea, leading to a minor argument between the pair about how George did not wait for Alfred's signal.
"Alfred told me to go have a look while he was still on the phone with his brother," he said. "I saw the smoke, saw the car. [Its] head downwards."
Then they left the scene, disposed of their burner phones and went for tea before returning to the Marsa potato shed.
Asked about the motive of the murder, Muscat told the court he was informed it was because Caruana Galizia was going to publish "important information about someone".
He also reiterated previous testimony about how the hitmen were tipped off in advance of their arrest in December 2017 and that they were being given information by a minister and a lawyer. The court ordered a blanket ban on all names except those involved in the investigation.
Live blog
Court session ends
1.34pm The Attorney General will reply to the defence lawyers' request for the prison meeting.
And with that, this five-hour session comes to a close.
The case continues tomorrow (Tuesday), morning. Thank you for joining us. We'll have a summary of the today's testimony above, shortly.
End of testimony
1.27pm Muscat's testimony ends.
After he leaves the room, lawyer Alfred Abela asks if all four defence lawyers can meet together with all four accused in prison to discuss the case.
The magistrate says the prison authorities need to decide on that.
Their request ought to be put formally by means of an application, the lawyer for the Attorney General's office says.
The defence argue the situation could give rise to a breach of fundamental rights.
Hush money
1.24pm Muscat recalls a time when a family member told him during a prison visit that another family member had been approached by Jamie Vella and Robert Agius.
The pair had offered the male family member 1,500 euro a month for Muscat not to testify against them.
This male relative had testified in a previous sitting. He was not familiar with the men but passed on the message, writing 'Robert' and 'Jamie' on a piece of paper so that he would remember their names.
Muscat's family turned down the offer.
AK 47
1.23pm Asked about other weapons, Muscat says that they had an AK 47 as a means of self defence. "Robert and Jamie got them on board the catamaran," Muscat says.
He said they had placed it at the Naxxar garage.
How Muscat knew il-Maksar
1.14pm How do you know Robert 'il-Maksar'? The Attorney General asks.
Muscat says he heard of the nickname because their father was killed at the Butterfly bar. He also knew him from Bugibba. And then Robert Agius began to visit the potato sheds.
Muscat stands up, looks back at the dock and identifies Adrian, Robert's brother.
The brothers used to chat with George Degiorgio, he says.
They had a sofa, table and television at the potato sheds. "A room was built with all the necessities. We even had a shower installed," Muscat explains.
Reference is made to a third party. This is a driver with a government department. His name is also banned.
Robert Agius, left, and his brother, Adrian, right, also known as the Tal-Maksar brothers.Binoculars
1.13pm Alfred Degiorgio paid for the binoculars, used to monitor the journalist's movements. Muscat and Degiorgio were together when he bought them in Forestals.
Moving the rifles
1.06pm The Attorney General's lawyer takes over questioning. He asks about the rifles, which were planned to be used in the initial plot, and wants to know who checked them out, to see if they were good or not.
Muscat explains that Alfred Degiorgio tested "the good one" at a Zebbug field. He says the pair of them put the rifles back in the garage and Robert Agius and Jamie Vella removed them.
"How do you know it was them?" the lawyer asks.
"Only they and us had a key."
He said that he and Alfred "probably" moved the third rifle to a garage in St Venera and then to one in Qormi, belonging to Jamie Vella.
These rifles are referred to as 'carabini'.
Day of the arrest
1.03pm On the day of the expected arrests, the Degiorgios told him to go to the potato sheds and would not allow him to stray away from them. "Not even for a bite to eat," Muscat says.
Attempts to contact a minister
12.59pm Muscat goes on to say that there were attempts to speak to a minister before the arrests. They tried to contact him but couldn't find him anywhere in the two to three weeks before the arrests.
The Degiorgios wanted to meet the minister to get some more information about the arrests, he explains.
Following a blanket ban on names, the minister's name has been removed.
More names banned
12.49pm Two more names are banned from publication. These are people that Muscat claims leaked information about the December 4 arrests in advance.
The court says that the media cannot mention either name, or else we will face serious consequences.
Testimony resumes
12.46pm The four accused are back in the dock. And Muscat is back in his chair.
Ten minute break
12.21pm The magistrate calls for a short, ten minute break.
A bomb gesture
12.13pm Muscat refers to a lawyer and how he would go to the potato shed "often" before the bomb because he was "very friendly" with the Degiorgios.
George Degiorgio said that he would make a thumbs up gesture, which referred to Keith Schembri, the former prime minister's chief of staff as "number one".
Another time, the lawyer made gestures to mimic a bomb. He had told Muscat: "How long are you going to take to get rid of that one? The witch of Bidnija."
Muscat did not reply to him. He said these gestures happened before and after the bomb.
"One day shortly before our arrest, the lawyer approached me at the waterfront where I was with family," he recalls.
"Then too he made the thumbs up sign."
"Did you ask him what he meant?" Arnaud asks.
"No. I'm not the type to question."
A third party
12.08pm Muscat claims that before the murder, Alfred began to get information from a former minister via a third party, whose name is banned from publication under court order.
"As far as I know, (the minister) never told us that 'Mrs Caruana Galizia is going here or there.'"
He says that he once saw Alfred speak to this third party and they both "seemed worried".
"Alfred came back telling me that we were going to be arrested, but he and I would be released," Muscat says.
"As for the minister, that's what I know."
But he says that the Degiorgio brothers sometimes whispered together, stopping when he approached.
"I had no idea that the George had called a third party, asking for a top up, before activitng the bomb."
Muscat says that Alfred Degiorgio had once told him that police were going to interroate the minister and Muscat's ex-lawyer.
Following a court order, the name of the minister and the lawyer have been removed.
A minister
12.02pm Where was this information coming from? Arnaud asks the witness.
"Alfred had told me he was going to speak to (a minister)," he said. "If not him, then who?" Muscat says.
He explains that before the murder he had driven Alfred to Valletta, dropping him off at the roundabout at Castille.
When Alfred came back from (visiting the minister), he told Muscat that (the minister) had told him, "there seems to be some other gang involved". And (the minister) mentioned the price of the hit - 150,000 euro.
"No, that's us," Alfred had told (the minister), according to Muscat.
Muscat said he had dropped Alfred off at Castille "more than once" and saw him go in through a "small side door".
The court orders a ban on the names of third parties not linked to this investigation. The minister's name has been removed following this court order.
The net closes in
11.57am Fast forward now to two or three weeks before the arrests (in December 2017). Muscat says that one morning Alfred Degiorgio was going on a fishing trip.
But arriving at the Marsa sheds, he saw Alfred and asked why he wasn't fishing.
"What fishing! They're going to arrest my brother. Go and tell him," Alfred said.
"He's your brother. You go and tell him," Muscat retorted.
But he did tell George, who was at a nearby bar. "I've been expecting this," George said.
Muscat asked him if he did something to give it away.
"There seems to be some voice (leħen)," George said.
They sold the dog they kept at the sheds, put away some Halloween costumes and got ready for the raids.
150,000 euro in cash
11.54am Muscat is answering questions.
Q: Why was the bomb procured by Robert Agius and Jamie Vella?
A: Because they worked with the Degiorgios.
Q: Who got the remaining 100,000 euro?
A: I saw the money. Cash in 50 euro an dother notes. Alfred gave me my share. I don't know what he did with the rest.
Q: Where did the weapon come from?
A: I don't know. Jamie and Robert had many (sources).
The motive
11.51am Muscat says Alfred told him Caruana Galizia was going to publish some "important information about someone".
"Do you know who that someone was?" the magistrate asks.
"No, I don't," he replies.
'She was going to reveal details'
11.45am Muscat says that after the hit, he had driven Alfred Degiorgio to Wied il Għajn to get money from Melvin Theuma.
Muscat waited at a nearby kiosk.
Alftred returned after half an hour or so. They went to the potato sheds and shared the money. He got 50,000 euro for the hit.
The reason why she was killed, according to what Alfred had told him, was that "she was going to reveal some details".
Unsure of dates
11.35am After tea, the pair headed to the potato shed in Marsa. Robert Agius and Jamie Vella did not join them.
Asked about the money for the hit, Muscat says that earlier on, he had handed back his €10,000 share of the deposit to Alfred Degiorgio, thinking that the plot was called off.
He moved back into the plot when the bomb was procured. Muscat is unsure when.
Lawyer Cuschieri argues that Muscat should be precise. "The witness has been given a pardon [in relation to the Carmel Chircop murder] and now comes here in court, saying 'I think'. That's not good."
Arnaud rebuts, saying the only time the witness replied with doubt was regarding dates. He says it was not fair to interrupt the witness - a position backed by Caruana Galizia family lawyer, Jason Azzopardi.
'Then we went for tea'
11.29am Muscat describes hearing the Degiorgio brothers arguing. Alfred asked his brother why he pressed it.
"At that point, as we approached our car, we saw a plume of smoke. But we hadn't heard the explosion. It's not as it was reported.
"Alfred told me to go have a look while he was still on the phone with his brother.
"I saw the smoke. Saw the car. [Her] head downwards. Everyone knows how it moved," he adds.
He said Alfred then dropped him off at his car, parked near Mgarr. He dismantled his mobile and disposed of it.
Then they went for tea.
Detonating the bomb
11.24am Then around 3pm, the gate sensor light flashed. Alfred called his brother.
"But hold on," he said, because it might be a false alarm.
"She's leaving. Hang on. Hold on. Zomm, zomm, she's going back inside," Alfred told George.
When she came back outside, he said, "She's out again".
She got into the car and drove away.
"We knew that there was some 10 seconds delay once the bomb was activated. Robert and Jamie had told us so," Muscat tells the court. "Alfred was to give the signal. Issa (now). But George pressed go before Alfred gave the go ahead."
Waiting
11.23am A few hours later, Alfred Degiorgio and Muscat went back to Bidnija. They chose a spot, at a small, partly ruined structure with an opening overlooking the valley.
"We waited. George meanwhile was to sail out on his boat," Muscat explains.
As they waited, they saw a man going out on a nearby roof. "Had he looked in our direction, he would have spotted us. But as far as I know, he didn't," Muscat says.
At one point, around midday, George called Alfred. "What's going on? Is the car still there?" he asked.
Alfred replied: "Don't call me before I call you."
George told them he was out at sea, somewhere near Sliema.
The bomb in place
11.17am Muscat gives a step-by-step account of how Alfred Degiorgio opened the door, placing the bomb under the driver's seat.
A small bottle of petrol was added "to help the explosion". An empty water bottle, found near the potato sheds, was fixed to the bomb.
Once they had the bomb in place, the two hitmen moved to their vantage point, dropped there by George Degiorgio, who then headed home.
It was "still way off" until morning, so Alfred suggested he and Muscat go to his St Paul's bay flat.
Robert Agius, right, is accused of supplying the bomb that killed Daphne Caruana Galizia. Photo: Chris Sant FournierPracticing for a murder
11.13am He explains that Robert Agius had previously sent them to a rental garage to get a replica model of Caruana Galizia's car to practice picking the lock.
He had told them: "You have a car ready. Go speak to the owner."
They had done so and were handed the keys to the rental model, exactly like Caruana Galizia's car.
They took the car to the potato shed and within minutes, Alfred opened the door and checked the space beneath the driver's seat.
"Quite spacious," Muscat observed.
They only had the car for an hour or two before returning it.
Placing the bomb
11.06am In the early hours of October 16, George Degiorgio dropped his brother Alfred and Vince Muscat at Bidnija, he testifies.
They approached the family home. Their faces were masked to make them unrecognisable.
The plan was for Muscat to keep watch while Alfred opened the back window of the car to place the bomb.
Transporting the bomb
11.04am Back to the night of October 15.
"So Alfred called me and told me to move the bomb, which was in a children's shoebox, from St Venera to Naxxar," Muscat tells the court.
Muscat wasn't happy about handling the bomb alone but didn't argue. It was about 8.30am to 9pm.
So he put the bomb close by "to have it handy" as he didn't want to risk meeting police while transporting the bomb.
"Alfred had a haversack to place the bomb. That would make escape easier in case we were intercepted," he says.
Burner phones
11am As an aside, he explains that the hitmen had bought cheap mobiles from a Hamrun store "tas suwed" (from black people) for some 20 euro each. They were burner phones.
'Her car is here'
10.58am Then on the evening of October 15, Alfred Degiorgio called Muscat.
"'Cens, her car is here outside,' he said."
That was October 15 and the car was outside the gate, Muscat tells the court.
Notte Bianca
10.57am The hitmen decided to move the bomb from Naxxar to St Venera, which was closer to Floriana and Valletta.
"On Notte Bianca night we searched for her car everywhere, in that area but we didn't find it anywhere," he says.
10.53am Muscat mentions another St Venera garage, close to Lidl supermarket. He has shown this place to the police too.
He had leased the place in 2015/16 and once went to the owner with one of the Degiorgios.
Arnaud asks: Why did you rent it?
"Degiorgio had simply told me that were were to rent it. And we did, me paying the rent," he replies.
Phoenicia incident
10.51am Another day Alfred, George and Muscat followed Caruana Galizia and her husband from their home to the Phoenicia hotel. They parked the car and saw her cross the street.
Why did they follow her?
"We did not have any plan at the time. It was early October - we though they would go to Notte Bianca." They said that they woudl plant the bomb if they found her car there, no matter who happened to be with her.
"It was proving difficult for us to plant the bomb. Her car was always parked inside," He says.
Reservoir incident
10.48am Muscat recalls how one night around 9pm they were at Bidnija. A bowser truck came to the reservoir. Alfred had approached the driver. Their car was parked nearby, causing some obstruction. He removed the vehicle, spoke to the truck driver and they drove off.
The hitmen then got a smaller car, Muscat continues. They removed all the stickers.
500g of explosives
10.42am Arnaud asks Muscat to tell the court what he saw or heard.
Muscat says he was told that the bomb was activated by placing a SIM card, then by sending "a very long message" on the mobile phone that was with the bomb.
It wasn't a normal message, he explains, saying that if it were a simple message, the bomb might go off as soon as the device was turned on. The message was saved on the mobile.
The bomb was packed with 500g of explosives, Muscat saus, saying either Jamie Vella or Robert Agius said so.
That was when George told them: "I hope it won't turn out like Romeo Bone". Robert and Jamie had retorted that in the case of Bone, the bomb was placed on the outer side near the tyre. This bomb would be put under the seat.
Romeo Bone was almost killed in a 2017 car bomb explosion in Msida.
How to operate the bomb
10.38am We're back.
Muscat is continuing his testimony. He says that he was present at the Naxxar garage when Robert Agius and Jamie Vella explained how the bomb worked.
"They told us about the batter to operate the device. We got something to test the battery charge - we bought it from a Mosta store. Jamie told us it was a long-lasting battery," he says.
The bomb was in the boot of the car inside the Naxxar garage.
A short break
10.11am Defence lawyer Abela requests a short break. The magistrate suspends the sitting for 15 minutes.
The bomb
10.07am One day, George told his brother Alfred and Muscat that Robert Agius and Jamie Vella would put the bomb under an overturned boat at Marsa. Alfred collected the bomb and he and Muscat took it to the Naxxar garage.
Muscat describes it: "It was some two inches thick. It had a stainless steel cover. It was battery operated. There was a SIM card holder and two wires, plus a switch."
In order for the bomb to be placed, it had to be parked outside all night. But it never was.
They had the bomb some time in September (a month before the murder).
Bombs from Italy
10.01am The rifle plan fell through. A bomb could be detonated remotely, so that became the new plan, Muscat explains.
Muscat testifies that George Degiorgio told him that Robert Agius and Jamie Vella were to get bombs from Italy.
He said the pair told George, in his presence, that they were going abroad for drugs. Muscat describes Jamie Vella as someone who had "many contacts, many friends" and would go abroad monthly.
The bomb was to be ferried over on catamaran. "Once they came to the potato sheds to watch for the catamaran," Muscat explains.
"George would tell me: 'guess they're arriving now!' - the bombs," he said.
Muscat said George relayed this information to him.
The seven men police have linked to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.'George always preferred a bomb'
09.56am They began to know the journalist's pattern of behaviour.
"We would check if the small window was lit. If it was, likelihood was that she would be working at her computer downstairs," he recalls.
"The plan was once the window was lit, I would call George to drive the car from Naxxar, Alfred shoots and we get away in the car.
"But George was not comfortable. He was afraid of some police roadblock. He always preferred a bomb."
He says they also had an AK 47 procured by Robert and Jamie. "I know because they used to get weapons from abroad," Muscat says.
"We even used to test weapons at Jamie's family's farmhouse in the Bidnija vicinity."
'The firing spot was ready'
09.50 The first model of the Peugeot 405 that the men were given was too large to manoeuvre through the narrow Bidnjia lanes, Muscat explains.
The plan was to approach a reservoir near her home with George driving, then Alfred and Muscat would approach on foot to her home.
"We once approached the home and spotted Daphne Caruana Galizia at her computer. 'This is the place', Alfred had told me", Muscat explains.
They had a good vantage point quite close to the window, under a carob tree, slightly elevated, giving a good view of the sofa inside.
"So we put sandbags on rubble wall to setady the weapon to be fired by Alfred. We hid the sacks. The firing spot was ready," Muscat says.
Argument over rifles
09.42am Muscat is shown pictures of the Naxxar garage and confirms this is the one he is speaking about. He has since been back to the place, with Superintendent Arnaud.
Arnaud asks who gave the rifle to whom. Muscat recalls that George Degiorgio had said that Robert Agius and Jamie Vella had three rifles for them to choose from.
"I didn't see anyone put them there but Robert used to come to potato sheds. Robert and Jamie used to say that one of the rifles was ok. I heard them say so," he testifies.
He remembers hearing George telling Robert and Jamie that the weapon was "rubbish". Alfred was also present.
George and Alfred Degiorgio are accused of planting the bomb that killed Daphne Caruana GaliziaA Naxxar garage
09.34 They went to a garage at Naxxar, owned by Robert Agius and Jamie Vella. A third person was at the garage too, Muscat recalls, but he doesn't know his name.
The Degiorgios and Muscat had a key to the garage so they could change their clothes before and after the hit.
Three rifles were put in the garage for Alfred Degiorgio to choose. Two were rusty and no good. But the third, a black one, was well kept. Muscat recalls meeting Alfred and Robert at the garage, where Alred handled the rifle and check its telescopic lens. "Robert was there more than once."
He describes the Naxxar garage as being ideally located, because it wasn't too far from the Caruana Galizia family home. But the pair were finding it difficult to "get to" Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Plan to shoot her
09.31 Muscat describes the plan: Alfred Degiorgio would shoot her. He didn't have the weapon but Robert Agius and Jamie Vella procured one, Muscat says.
He indicates both men in the dock and says he has known Vella since 2015.
'Many people saw us'
09.25am Muscat says the pair changed vantage point at one point "because many people were seeing us there". One place was near a wire fence.
"We cleared the rocks and even took some foam to sit on."
Alfred had bought some binoculars for 350 euro from Forestals to make their job easier.
Another spot was accessed from a path, the first turning on the right near a big roundabout, in the direction of Mgarr. This spot was much quieter with no people around.
A cleaner, who arrived once or twice a week, drove a red Vitz, Muscat recalled. And the pair could see when someone was coming and going because of an orange sensor light on the gate.
People lay flowers at the Bidnija site where Daphne Caruana Galizia was murdered. Photo: Times of MaltaWatching Daphne
09.20am He said they then began to watch "Sinjura Caruana Galizia" as he refers to the murdered journalist. Muscat knew where she lived.
He says that he accompanied Alfred to Hal Farrug to get a Peugeot 405, parked it some way off from Caruana Galizia's Bidnija home and started to watch.
They would watch her husband leave for work, and he and Alfred would watch from 6am until noon, returning later.
Meaningless words
09.17am The three began to expect "the hit" would fizzle out, thinking it was just meaningless words. Meanwhile Alfred had asked Theuma for a 30,000 euro deposit, he says.
Defence lawyer Abela interjects: "Was he present for all of this?" He says Muscat is speaking as though he was present, as though he has first hand information.
The magistrate says the witness must be allowed to testify freely.
Asked if he saw any money being handed over, Muscat says no, he waited outside the church, but he saw Alfred come back with money.
"I again took Alfred to the Busy Bee and he came back with the 30,000 euro deposit. We took 10,000 each."
It was a "forfeitable deposit" he explains to the court - in case the hit was called off.
150,000 euro for a murder
9.09am Muscat and the Degiorgio brothers discussed a price, and settled on 150,000 euro to share between them.
Two days later, Muscat continues, he and Alfred Degiorgio returned to the Busy Bee.
"Alfred came back saying that the price was probably OK. Melvin Theuma just asked for a few days to confirm," he tells the court.
He did confirm, some time later, but told them to hold off until the election was over. This all took place around May/June 2017.
An initial payment of 1,500 euro was handed over and Muscat took his share, 300 euro.
'Theuma wanted us to kill Daphne'
9.05am Muscat takes the oath, and confirms that he was sentenced regarding the Caruana Galizia murder and has filed no appeal. He says he has known the Degiorgios for 35 - 40 years, and points to George Degiorgio in the dock.
"I used to go to Marsa potato shed as I did daily. Alfred Degiorgio told me that Melvin Theuma had told Darren Debono that he had a job for us," he starts.
Later one afternoon, he drove Alfred to the Busy Bee coffee shop in Msida, one afternoon. While Alfred met Theuma, Muscat waited at the church.
He had known Theuma as a horse bookmaker at Marsa and Hamrun.
"Alfred came back and told me that Melvin Theuma wanted us to kill Daphne Caruana Galizia," Muscat says.
Separation of proceedings
9am Magistrate Farrugia Frendo delivers a decree regarding a request by George Degiorgio for a separation of proceedings. He had previously argued that he has already faced most of the charges and testimonies linked to the Caruana Galizia murder.
But the magistrate says the court does not have the power to decide on this, which rests with the Attorney General. So she rejects his request. And we move on.
Vince Muscat has admitted to his role in murdering Daphne Caruana Galizia, and has been granted a pardon over the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop. File photo: Times of MaltaFour men in the dock
08.54am The men in the dock arrive: first George Degiorgio then Robert and Adrian Agius, and finally Jamie Vella. For the first time, we're seeing Vella in a suit and tie. Until now he was wearing a full, protective, Hazmat suit because he had COVID-19.
Vince Muscat arrives
08.50am Vince Muscat has entered the hall and a seat has been placed in front of the witness stand for him. As well as an eloquence of lawyers representing all sides, there are armed guards around the hall and outside, and, of course, the family of the murdered journalist.
Live from Hall 22
8.43am Good morning from Hall 22, one of the larger rooms in court. We're waiting for proceedings to begin in the same place where Saturday's marathon corruption arraignments took place. While you're waiting, have a read about the 11 people involved in that case.
Who's who
You'll likely hear many names today as this complex case unfolds. Here are some of the key courtroom players.
- Robert Agius, Adrian Agius, Jamie Vella, and George Degiorgio face various charges related to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia and Carmel Chircop. They are in the dock today;
- Vince Muscat has admitted his role in both murders and has turned state witness;
- Alfred Degiorgio along with his brother George and Muscat are accused of planting and detonating the bomb;
- Businessman Yorgen Fenech is accused of masterminding the plot;
- Taxi driver Melvin Theuma has admitted being the middleman between the killers and Fenech and has been granted a pardon in exchange for evidence;
- Jason Azzopardi and Therese Comodini Cachia represent the Caruana Galizia family;
- William Cuschieri is appearing for George Degiorgio;
- Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo is presiding over the case;
- Lawyer George Camilleri is representing the Attorney General while, Superintendent Keith Arnaud and Inspectors Shawn Pawney and Wayne Camilleri are prosecuting;
- Vince Galea is appearing for the Chircop family;
- Marc Sant is representing Muscat