Yorgen Fenech is hoping to secure changes to the bail conditions imposed on him earlier this year.

Fenech, who is accused of masterminding the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, was granted bail on 24 January subject to a range of strict conditions. These include an €80,000 deposit, a €120,000 personal guarantee, and a curfew requiring him to remain indoors between 5pm and 11am.

Additional conditions require Fenech to sign a bail book daily at the St Julian's police station and prohibit him from going within 50 metres of the coast or the airport. A police officer is stationed outside his residence around the clock. His aunt, Moira Fenech, also acts as guarantor, with her 15.45% shareholding in the Tumas Group pledged as collateral.

On Tuesday morning, the prosecution and defence made submissions on Fenech's request to extend the curfew to 7pm and 10am, and to allow him to sign the bail book with the police officers stationed outside his home rather than reporting to a police station.

The prosecution objected to the request, arguing that the court had already carefully considered the circumstances when granting bail and had arrived at an agreement  that ensured effective control over the accused. They said the conditions represented a compromise and should not be diluted.

The prosecution also opposed the proposal for Fenech to sign the bail book at his residence, insisting that the accused should not be afforded special privileges. He argued that there was no valid reason to extend the curfew, adding that claims relating to spending more time with lawyers were unconvincing.

"A person observing the bail conditions imposed on them is not an incentive to seek less stringent conditions. It is a legal obligation," the prosecutor said. He added that while Fenech cited family, work and sports commitments, the accused is facing charges as an accomplice to murder.

Defence lawyer Charles Mercieca told the court that over the past ten months Fenech had demonstrated that he was trustworthy and compliant with all conditions. He noted that before he was allowed on bail there had been speculation that his client would abscond, but said Fenech had attended all court sittings since his release.

Mercieca rejected the suggestion that having police stationed outside the residence amounted to special treatment, pointing out that all visitors are logged. He also said lengthy court sittings, sometimes ending at around 2:30pm, left little time for consultations with lawyers under the current curfew regime.

"He goes home to be with his family, not flip through court files," Mercieca said, adding that the reasons for the requested variation were set out in the formal application.

The court will decide on the request from its chambers.

Judge Edwina Grima is presiding over the case. Godwin Cini is appearing for the Attorney General, while Charles Mercieca and Gianluca Caruana Curran are representing the accused. Lawyer Jason Azzopardi is appearing as parte civile.