Lawyer Ishmael Psaila told jurors on Wednesday to properly examine the evidence and consider whether there was any indirect or direct evidence linking his client Jamie Vella to the murders of Carmel Chircop in 2015 and Daphne Caruana Galizia two years later.
Psaila was addressing jurors in a trial of the 4 men charged with the murder of Caruana Galizia and Chircop. The trial has now been going on for more than a month.
The accused are 'Ta' Maksar' brothers, Robert and Adrian Agius, Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio.
Vella and Robert Agius, Adrian's younger brother are accused of complicity in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia by supplying the bomb that killed her in October 2017.
Adrian Agius is charged with commissioning the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop in 2015. Prosecutors insist that the hit was also carried out in complicity with Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio who are accused of executing Chircop's murder.
All four accused deny the charges against them.
Psaila told jurors that during the interrogation by Keith Arnaud, his client was asked why his mobile phone was establishing him to be in the limits of Mosta. Vella had replied that it was a likely possibility as he was probably at a farmhouse in Mosta, a family property. The farmhouse in question was very close to the vantage point in Bidnija, where Caruana Galizia was killed.
Jamie Vella frequented this property several times. Psaila stressed the fact that so much fuss was made about this farmhouse, but the jurors were not even taken to this farmhouse during the site visits.
"It was not a problem of logistics. It is just mere minutes away from Bidnija. The jurors could have easily been taken," Psaila argued.
Psaila also questioned the thoroughness of police investigators during car searches. He noted that star witness Vince Muscat also said that en route to the Chircop murder, he and Jamie Vella were in the back, George was driving and the passenger side was empty. Psaila said that the sun visor which was seen tilted downwards was the one of the passenger seat. "Is it normal that if someone is not in the passenger seat the sun visor is down and visor of the driver's seat is not?" Psaila said implying that someone was indeed in the passenger seat on the day.
The defence also analysed the position of the car during the murder. He refers jurors to the site visit. "Muscat said that the car was parked against the wall so that they would not block the passage for other cars." However, Psaila contended that it is impossible that a second car passes from that area as there is not enough space.
Josette Attard, a legal procurator who has been working at Dingli Law Firm since 1999, took witness stand. Carmel Chircop joined Dingli Law Firm as a partner in 2013. She said that whoever required her services would approach her directly-including Chircop.
The court heard that a judicial letter was filed in June 2014 by Carmel Chircop. It was addressed to ERom Ltd, Ryan Schembri and his wife, Etienne and Nathalie Cassar, Cassar & Schembri Ltd, and Adrian Agius. The letter referred to a creditor's demand and was based on a dishonoured cheque issued by Cassar & Schembri Ltd to Chircop, the court heard.The cheque had been refused by the bank, and Chircop invoked a clause in the Civil Code which allows for enforcement through an intimation when a public contract exists.
Inspector Sandra Zammit also took the witness stand. She spoke about what she had done after receiving information regarding the murder on the day itself. She told other officers not to let anyone leave the garage complex.
A video was shown in court showing a Renault car leaving the scene before the ambulance left. Zammit had no information about who was inside it.
The head of the police Community and Media Relations Unit (CMRU), Brandon Pisani, also testified. The court was shown a video of a press conference by Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà. The defence was trying to discredit Assistant Commissioner Arnaud, becausee Gafà had said that all evidence was collected, but Arnaud said that investigation was still ongoing.
The sitting ends