A recorded interrogation of one of the three men who pleaded guilty to the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia is to be exhibited in proceedings against the alleged bomb suppliers.

Parts of the recording in which the subject discloses sensitive information about an ongoing investigation into a separate major crime will be eliminated from the evidence.

The compilation of evidence against the Tal-Maksar brothers Robert and Adrian Agius, as well as Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio, continued on Friday before Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo.

Apart from charges related to the Caruana Galizia murder, the men are facing accusations relating to the murders of lawyer Carmel Chircop.

The defence had filed a separate request to the Criminal Court, asking it to order the reopening of the compilation of evidence, after it was noticed that the recordings had not been exhibited during the magisterial inquiry.

The statement in question is understood to have been released by Vincent Muscat as part of his unsuccessful bid for a Presidential pardon.

Magistrate Farrugia Frendo noted that the Criminal Court’s order, sending the acts back to the Court of Magistrates, had been issued on March 29, but that the case file had only been delivered to her last week, due to an administrative mistake by Court staff.

The magistrate appointed an expert to examine the four DVDs and “remove those parts where the person being interrogated makes reference to facts which have nothing to do with the merits of this case.” The contents of the DVDs will also be transcribed and exhibited together with notes taken during the interrogation by Superintendent Keith Arnaud.

Inspector Shawn Pawney is prosecuting, assisted by lawyers Anthony Vella and Godwin Cini from the Office of the Attorney General. 

Lawyers Alfred Abela and Rene Darmanin are representing Adrian Agius, Robert Agius. Abela also assisted Jamie Vella for this sitting, together with lawyer Ishmael Psaila. Lawyers Noel Bianco and Leslie Cuschieri are representing Degiorgio in the proceedings.

Lawyer Jason Azzopardi appeared for the parte civile.