Hitman Vince Muscat testified behind closed doors in the public inquiry into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s death on Tuesday.

Muscat, known as il-Kohhu, admitted to his part in the murder in February, getting a 15 year prison sentence in exchange for information which led to the arrest of the people allegedly involved in making the explosives which killed Caruana Galizia.

Caruana Galizia family lawyer Therese Comodini Cachia said that they wanted to establish whether Muscat was protected and whether he felt that he wouldn’t be caught when committing the murder.

For these questions to be answered and for the currently ongoing investigations not to be prejudiced, Comodini Cachia asked for the testimony to be heard behind closed doors.

Muscat’s lawyer Marc Sant told the court that other matters have in fact emerged after Muscat gave his testimony in court, and he too requested that his testifies behind closed doors.

Over 100 witnesses have been heard in the inquiry, including former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and his chief of staff Keith Schembri – who is currently charged with money laundering and corruption in relation to a scandal which Caruana Galizia had uncovered before her death.

The inquiry originally had a deadline of December 15 2020 to conclude its work, but they themselves elected to extend it so they could properly fulfil their brief.

The inquiry is chaired by retired Judge Michael Mallia, with Chief Justice Emeritus Joseph Said Pullicino and Judge Abigail Lofaro the other two members on the board.