Updated 5.45pm, adds ADPD statement

Self-confessed murderer Vince Muscat made a cryptic reference on Tuesday to a “big job” allegedly involving former minister Chris Cardona as well as an unnamed sitting minister. 

Giving testimony in the murder case against brothers Alfred and George Degiorgio, Muscat said when prompted by lawyer and PN MP Jason Azzopardi that Cardona was very close to the Degiorgios. 

Muscat, known as Il-Koħħu, recalled Alfred Degiorgio asking him what he thought about setting up a meeting with Cardona. 

Questioned by Azzopardi whether it was about a previous big job involving Cardona, Muscat confirmed that was the case. 

Prompted further, Muscat said the job also involved a current minister. 

Times of Malta reported last year how Muscat had detailed to the police how a botched heist on HSBC in 2010 was planned and executed, including details of a man believed to be a former politician. 

Muscat had given insight on the HSBC plot, without identifying anyone, in a failed attempt to get a presidential pardon on a raft of crimes he was involved in. 

He is also understood to know the name of a sitting minister an associate of his had told him was involved in planning the heist. 

The unsolved robbery attempt had puzzled investigators as armed intruders seemed to have inside knowledge of the bank’s security measures and appeared to know their way around the large premises.

Sources said the police have opened a file on Muscat’s HSBC claims, but insiders said the fact that the crime was more than a decade old meant solving the case now was going to be difficult.

Detailing the foiled HSBC heist, for which he is awaiting trial, sources said Muscat told police that eight key players were involved, along with three others who, he claims, were aware of the plot and helped on the periphery.

Footage given by bank insider

This group were given footage by a bank insider showing them how to get access to the bank’s control room.

Muscat says he saw the footage himself, probably filmed from a mobile phone.
The footage was then given to one of the bank robbers by an unnamed person, believed to be a politician, referred to by Muscat as “number 1”.

Muscat says the footage could have been given to the robbers by “1” or by a close associate, referred to as “number 2”, or by both of them together.

They were also given three key cards to access the different areas of the bank’s head office in Qormi.

Muscat says the group had already agreed how to divide the anticipated haul of cash.

“Person 1” was going to get €1 million from the job, while his associate “2” was to receive €300,000.

The other six were going to get €1 million each for their part in the heist.

Muscat says he used to drop off potential bank robber “3” a few corners away from the meeting place where the bank job was planned out.

PN statement

In a statement, the Nationalist Party said Muscat's testimony continued to show the link between organised criminality and the Labour government. 

It noted that while Prime Minister Robert Abela had said some weeks ago that no politicians were implicated in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder, Muscat's testimony showed that former minister Cardona had been involved in a 2015 plan for the journalist's murder, he was involved in another big crime, and a serving minister aided in the execution of another big crime.

The PN said that following Tuesday’s testimony, the Prime Minister should identify the minister referred to and dismiss him. He was also duty-bound to ensure that the country’s institutions are free from political interference to be able to take any necessary action in relation to Cardona and the sitting minister.

The evidence given showed that not only the state had failed to protect Caruana Galizia’s life, but also that people in senior government administration were involved in the drawing up and implementation of a plan for her murder and for those committing the crime not to be caught, the PN said.

ADPD statement

In another statement, ADPD said that following il-koħħu's testimony, it expects the Prime Minister to issue an immediate statement and take "immediate and necessary" action.