Defence lawyers in the Maksar gang trial went on the offensive on Friday as they tried to shed doubt on the credibility of prosecution star witness Vince Muscat.

Robert and Adrian Agius – known as Tal-Maksar, Jamie Vella, and George Degiorgio stand charged with complicity in the two murders of Carmel Chircop and Daphne Caruana Galizia, which prosecutors say were carried out using explosives and firearms, and motivated by financial and criminal interests.

Throughout the now month-long trial by jury, Vince Muscat – known as Il-Koħħu – was the prosecution’s star witness, having been granted a presidential pardon to tell all about the murder of Chircop and a plea deal to speak about the murder of Caruana Galizia.

On Friday, prosecutors informed the court that they had no more witnesses to testify from their end – 145 witnesses have testified before jurors in the trial.

The defence also informed the court, which is presided over by Judge Edwina Grima, that the accused would invoke their right not to testify.

Defence lawyers then began to make their arguments to the jury, and Muscat was the main target of their statements to jurors.

Lawyer Alfred Abela, who is representing Robert Agius, said that Muscat had been selective in his witness statements and gave up only information which favours his side of the story.  In a lengthy speech to the jury, he told the jurors that they must make the right decision and that while a murder if a tragedy that nobody should endure, the same can be said of someone who is falsely imprisoned.

“Going to the someone’s daughter and telling her that her dad is in prison because of someone’s lie is a tragedy too,” he told jurors.

He reminded jurors that they have to be fully convinced by Vince Muscat’s testimony and again said that what he had said does not add up and that he had supposedly forgotten things which were “impossible” to forget.

The trial continues.

Prosecutors Godwin Cini, Danika Vella and Anthony Vella are representing the Attorney General’s office.

Defence lawyer Nicholas Mifsud is appearing for Adrian Agius, Ishmael Psaila and Amadeus Cachia for Jamie Vella, Alfred Abela and Rene Darmanin representing Robert Agius, and Noel Bianco and Leslie Cuschieri for George Degiorgio.

Jason Azzopardi and Therese Comodini Cachia are assisting the Caruana Galizia family, while Vince Galea is assisting the Chircop family.