Lawyer William Cuschieri has renounced patronage of George and Alfred Degiorgio, the brothers accused of murdering Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The surprise move comes at a time when Cuschieri was negotiating a plea deal for his clients with prosecutors.

The lawyer notified Judge Edwina Grima on Friday morning that he will no longer represent the Degiorgios. The judge will preside over their trial.

The Degiorgios deny the charges against them but in a clamorous statement when interviewed for a podcast on Caruana Galizia's murder, George Degiorgio admitted to carrying out the hit job and that for him it was "business as usual".

The Degiorgios are accused of procuring a bomb, planting it in Caruana Galizia's car and detonating it. The journalist was killed on 16 October 2017 in a powerful blast just metres away from her Bidnija house.

The Degiorgios and their accomplice Vince Muscat were arrested in December 2017 at their makeshift headquarters beneath the potato shed in Marsa.

Last year, Muscat admitted to the murder and was sentenced to 15 years in prison after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors. Muscat was represented by a different lawyer.

The Degiorgos have long accused the police of failing to hear their claims over the involvement of other people in the journalist's assassination.

Cabinet had turned down their attempts for a presidential pardon.