Independent candidate Arnold Cassola has linked Prime Minister Robert Abela to the sale of a speed boat to Robert Agius, who is one of the Maksar brothers linked to the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

In a press conference on Saturday held outside the Office of the Prime Minister in Valletta, Cassola said that he had written to Abela multiple times with a question regarding this matter.

Cassola first wrote to Abela in February, but both no response was given to the letter and various reminders later, and question remained unanswered.

He asked Robert Abela to confirm or deny whether he was involved in the sale of a Chaudron powerboat to Agius at some point between 2008 and 2012.

Cassola explained that in April 2008, Raymond Agius, known as Tal-Maksar. and the father of the Maksar brothers, was shot dead at Butterfly Bar in Birkirkara.

This marked the escalation of what Cassola described as "the Mafia era" of multiple shootings and explosions, in which the sons of Raymond Agius were allegedly involved, Cassola said.

He added that the lawyer defending the Maksar brothers between 2008 and 2012 was Robert Abela.

Whilst holding a photo similar to the speedboat he was referring to, Cassola insisted that Abela cannot keep ignoring the public and said that they deserve to know whether the Prime Minister of this country is involved in such matters.

The Agius brothers and two others, Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio, stand accused of crimes related to the separate murders of lawyer Carmel Chircop and journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

In a short statement, the Labour Party said that what Cassola spoke about had already been publicy denied by the Prime Minister, so Cassola knew he was speaking about a lie.