The police said today that the warrants for the arrest of three persons who were later charged with the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia were signed by the inquiring magistrate.

The police were reacting to a statement issued by the journalist’s family in which it was claimed that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had “misled the press” with regard to who signed the arrest warrants. “The Prime Minister said that the arrest warrants were signed by the inquiring magistrate. Arrest warrants are routinely signed by the duty magistrate. The inquiring magistrate, Anthony Vella, is not the duty magistrate today,” the Caruana Galizia statement said.

In a statement, the police said that “in view of the misleading claims that are being made with reference to the inquiry following Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder to the effect that the Inquiring Magistrate was not the Magistrate who signed the arrest warrants requested by the Police, the Police feel obliged to clarify that the arrest warrants issued to them were actually issued by the Inquiring Magistrate.

“Any claims to the contrary giving the impression that the Inquiring Magistrate was somehow bypassed are totally unfounded,” the police said.

Three men on Monday pleaded not guilty to murdering Daphne Caruana Galizia with a car bomb on 16 October.

Vince Muscat, 55, known as 'il-Kohhu', was arraigned along with Alfred Degiorgio, 52, 'il-Fulu' and George Degiorgio, 54, 'ic-Ciniz'.