Key facts
- Brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio, serving sentences for the 2017 assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, testified in court.
- They alleged that former economy minister Chris Cardona and former prime minister's chief of staff Keith Schembri were involved in the murder plot.
- George Degiorgio claimed the plot began in 2015 with Cardona giving orders and providing money.
- Alfred Degiorgio refused to answer questions, leading to his arrest for contempt of court.
- George Degiorgio was also found guilty of contempt of court and fined.
- Cardona, Schembri, and lawyer David Gatt have denied involvement.
During a chaotic court session in Valletta, brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio, who are serving 40-year sentences for planting the car bomb that killed Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017, implicated former economy minister Chris Cardona and former prime minister's chief of staff Keith Schembri in the assassination plot. Alfred Degiorgio stated that Cardona, Schembri, and lawyer David Gatt were involved, but refused to elaborate further, citing a challenge to his sentence in the European court of human rights. This led to his arrest for contempt of court.
George Degiorgio provided more detailed allegations, claiming the murder plot originated in 2015 with Cardona giving him orders and €50,000 in cash. He alleged Cardona wanted Caruana Galizia killed because she was investigating the administration of then-Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. George claimed Cardona indicated his own involvement, Schembri's, the police commissioner's, and another unidentified person's. He also alleged that the plot was halted at one point by David Gatt due to an impending election, and later resumed after Cardona assured him police presence would be reduced.
George Degiorgio also claimed Cardona and Schembri were behind the 2017 killing, a point he alleged Cardona confirmed. Exchanges became heated when George was questioned about why he had not named Cardona and Schembri in previous testimonies regarding the 2017 plot, leading to him being found in contempt of court and fined. Cardona, Schembri, and Gatt have consistently denied any involvement in the assassination. The Caruana Galizia family issued a statement noting that allegations alone do not constitute evidence and that no sufficient proof has been presented to show Cardona or Schembri paid for the assassination.