A court is to decree on a request by the suspects in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia in which they asked the court allow them to meet with two MEPs and journalists.

The strange request was made by lawyer William Cuschieri on Thursday. He asked magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit to authorise a meeting between the accused and MEPs Anna Gomez and David Casa in the presence of foreign journalists.

“I am bewildered,” said Assistant AG Philip Galea Farrugia. “Normally, the press is not wanted by the defence…”

“The law gives a raft of measures available, why should this be discussed on a political and journalistic level?”

Cuschieri replied that legal procedure states that he must obtain the permission of the court and “I am therefore asking for it”.

Parte civile lawyer Jason Azzopardi tried to have the request discussed behind closed doors but the court refused. “It makes more sense that this be discussed without third parties being present. If they have a complaint their lawyer can write to an MEP, but going beyond that it is more of beyond the MEP’s remit. Journalists are there to broadcast, not keep secrets. It is their job.”

“I don’t know what they want to tell them,” Cuschieri said, having only just been informed of the request by his client, “but it wasn’t this side who went to speak to foreign police with a laptop. It was others who had said that they did not trust local institutions,” he said.

The court warned that the request may have Constitutional and fair hearing repercussions.
Galea Farrugia argued that “this is a judicial process and should not be reduced to a political forum. The request is so extraordinary that it must be discussed.”

Police Inspector Keith Arnaud, prosecuting, said he was objecting to the request.
The court gave the prosecution till Monday at 3pm to present their written reply. A decree will be given from chambers the next day.

The case will continue of 15 July.