The Cabinet has advised President George Vella to turn down a request for pardon by George and Alfred Degiorgio, who claim to have “first-hand” information about a former minister masterminding the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The brothers facing murder charges in that case also claim to have information about a middleman in that murder and information linking former ministers to serious crimes. 

The Degiorgios have had previous requests to obtain a pardon for that crime turned down, so on April 4 their lawyer filed an urgent application before the courts to pre-empt the breach of rights they say they will suffer if that request is refused again without anyone hearing all they had to say. The first hearing in that urgent remedy application is yet to take place.

On Monday, the government said in a statement that in line with the advice provided by the Attorney General and the Police Commissioner, the Cabinet has urged the president not to uphold their request.

"The Cabinet's decision is not just based on the advice of the relevant institutions but is also in the national interest and in the interest of the equitable administration of justice," the government said in a statement.