Paramedics recall finding Carmel Chircop’s lifeless body on the dayof the murder
The compilation of evidence against brothers Adrian and Robert Agius, known as Tal-Maksar, and their associates Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio continued on Monday, with several witnesses testifying about the murder of Carmel Chircop.
The first witness, Miriam Buhagiar, an emergency worker who was working on the day of the murder recalled seeing the lifeless body of Chircop just outside the garage where the shooting took place.
She described the lifeless cadaver “with dilated pupils and no heartbeat.” The body was found face up with two gunshots to the stomach area, while his car was still in the garage.
“The body was cold and the skin was clammy. This shows he had been dead for quite a while,” she said.
Charlene Grech, also an emergency worker at the time, and stationed in the control room described receiving the call early in the morning. Someone had told her Chircop was already dead, but said paramedics still showed up on site.
Alana Caruana, a police sergeant, testified that on 4 December 2017, she was ordered to exhibit an arrest warrant for Jamie Vella. They had gone to his Mosta farm early in the morning. This was the day when police arrested 10 people in connection with the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia but eventually only charged three - George Degiorgio, Alfred Degiorgio and Vince Muscat.
A search was carried out on Jamie Vella and Robert Agius, she said.
Vella and the Agius brothers - Robert and Adrian - had been arrested but later released. They were re-arrested and charged with involvement in the murders of Caruana Galizia and Chircop earlier this year.
At the end of today's sitting, the prosecution and the defence discussed a bail application filed by Adrian Agius.
Prosecutor Wayne Camilleri argued against bail, insisting Agius might try to flee the country or influence witnesses.
Defence lawyer Alfred Abela said proof must be shown of Adrian Agius trying to flee the country. “It’s not enough to say that he has contacts outside of Malta; there has to be proof.”
He also made reference to other murder cases in which the accused were granted bail. Abela insisted that if the AG's office is going to invoke public interest for denying the accused bail, this needs to be proved and clearly specified. He said jurisprudence showed that the severity of the crimes was not enough to justify the continued detention of the accused.
No decision was taken on bail, with the magistrate informing the parties that she will deliver her ruling in camera.
The case will continue on 6 July at 9:00am.
The Aguis brothers are facing charges of involvement in two murders, including that of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Robert Agius and Jamie Vella are charged with supplying the bomb that killed Daphne Caruana Galizia in October 2017.
Adrian Agius is charged with commissioning the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop in 2015. Vella and Degiorgio are charged with executing Chircop’s assassination in a garage complex in Birkirkara.
Degiorgio is currently undergoing separate procedures for his involvement in the Caruana Galizia murder.
Key courtroom players
Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo is presiding.
Lawyers Alfred Abela and Rene Darmanin are defence counsel to the Agius brothers. Lawyer William Cuschieri is appearing for George Degiorgio.
Lawyer George Camilleri is representing the Attorney General in the proceedings, while Superintendent Keith Arnaud and Inspectors Shawn Pawney and Wayne Camilleri are prosecuting.
Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Therese Comodini Cachia are appearing parte civile for the Caruana Galizia family, while lawyer Vince Galea is appearing for the Chircop family.
10:09 The case will continue on 6 July 2021 at 9:00 am.
10:08 No decision has been taken on the bail, and the magistrate will deliver her decision to the accused and his lawyers "in camera".
10:03 The prosecutor cites a European Court of Justice decision that said that if the accused can influence witnesses, they should be detained.
10:02 The prosecutor argues that Carmelo Chircop's murder was "contracted". "We are basing our objection on facts."
09:59 Abela argues the law is blind, and it is blind for everyone. "If so, Adrian Agius should no longer be detained."
09:56 The provisions of the Criminal Code regarding bail make no reference to matters of public interest, he argues.
09:54 Abela goes through case law and insists that if the AG's office is going to invoke public interest for denying the accused bail, this needs to be proved and clearly specified. He says jurisprudence showed that the severity of the crimes was not enough to justify the continued detention of the accused.
09:49 Abela makes reference to other murder cases where the accused were granted bail. "So if you are accused of murder, there is no chance of bail?" he asked.
09:46 "If he was trying to flee the country, he had ample time to do so," Abela argues.
09:46 Abela says Agius always cooperated with the police. "His behaviour, even in this court, has always been exemplary."
09:44 Defence lawyer Alfred Abela says proof must be shown of Adrian Agius trying to flee the country. "It's not enough to say that he has contacts outside of Malta; there has to be proof."
09:43 Discussing the court application, Prosecutor Camilleri says the presumption of innocence is "sacred", but there is reasonable suspicion. He says Adrian Agius has contacts from outside the country. "There is a risk of him fleeing." He objects to the bail request.
09:37 The magistrate mentions a court application filed by Adrian Agius.
09:34 The magistrate is now discussing with the lawyers whether there are any other witnesses.
09:33 Caruana steps off the witness stand.
09:33 Jamie Vella's father was there, and then Robert Agius and Jamie Vella arrived. A search of them was then carried out.
09:31 The next witness to take the stand is police sergeant Alana Caruana. She explains how on 4 December 2017, they had to exhibit an arrest warrant for Jamie Vella. They had gone to his Mosta farm early in the morning.
09:28 Caruana steps off the witness stand.
09:27 She says they checked his pulse, both on the wrist and neck, as well as his pupils. The pupils were not reactive to light; this indicated he was lifeless.
09:27 Caruana recalls being escorted to the lifeless body. Describing the site of the murder, she says the body was found in a "pool of blood". The blood was coming out of the bullet wounds. He was facing towards the ceiling.
09:23 The witness describes the site of the murder and the "large number of garages" at the complex.
09:23 She recalls a large number of police officers and that the street was closed off by the police.
09:21 After the call came in, she had visited the site of the murder after ordered to do so by the control room.
09:20 Caruana no longer works at Mater Dei Hospital. At the time of the murder, she worked at the Emergency Ward. She was a senior staff nurse.
09:20 The next witness is Gayle Caruana, a paramedic.
09:19 The call was received at around 7:00am, she says. Grech steps off the witness stand.
09:19 Grech never left the control room and never visited the site of the incident.
09:18 She recalls receiving the call that someone had been shot. She directed the ambulance to the site of the murder.
09:18 The next witness is Charlene Grech. She currently works at the emergency department, now with children and previously with adults.
09:16 She says the body was cold, and the skin felt "clammy", showing that Chircop had been dead for a while. He was certified dead on the spot. She steps off the witness stand.
09:15 She also recalls how the body was found with two gunshots. His car was still parked inside the garage.
09:14 She recalls seeing the patient not moving when arriving at the Birkirkara garage. She describes the lifeless cadaver with "dilated pupils and no heartbeat."
09:13 She says that on the morning of the murder, she had started her shift at around 7:30 am. They were taken to the site of the Carmel Chircop murder.
09:12 The first witness is an emergency worker who was working on the day of the murder.
09:08 Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo has entered the courtroom, and the sitting starts.
09:02 Good morning. We are waiting inside Hall 22 for proceedings to start.