Alfred and George Degiorgio, both serving 40 years in jail for killing Daphne Caruana Galizia, on Wednesday implicated former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri and former Minister Chris Cardona in the plot.

Testifying separately in the case against Yorgen Fenech, accused of masterminding the murder, both claimed that Schembri and Cardona were part of the conspiracy.

Caruana Galizia was killed in a car bomb on 16 October, 2017.

Alfred Degiorgio said that "without a doubt, [lawyer] David Gatt, Chris Cardona and Keith Schembri were involved."

But he refused to elaborate further and failed to answer more questions put by both the prosecution and defence, earning him a re-arrest with the court ordering charges against him for contempt of court.

His brother George said that murder middleman Melvin Theuma "told us that Keith [Schembri] sent him".  

He said that he and his brother had also met Cardona, who confirmed that Schembri had engaged Theuma.

George Degiorgio said Cardona had first asked them to kill Caruana Galizia back in 2015, telling them to "get rid her of, because she's going to wreck (the Labour) party."

Fenech, 44, has pleaded not guilty to two principal charges: complicity in the wilful homicide of Daphne Caruana Galizia and criminal association to commit the murder.

Five men have already been convicted in connection with Caruana Galizia's assassination. Vince Muscat admitted his role in the murder in 2021 and was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment. Alfred and George Degiorgio each received 40-year prison sentences after pleading guilty in 2022, while Robert Agius and Jamie Vella were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2025 for supplying the bomb used in the attack.

The prosecution is being led by Attorney General lawyers Godwin Cini, Anthony Vella and Danika Vella, assisted by Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud and Inspector Kurt Zahra. Fenech is represented by lawyers Charles Mercieca, Gianella Demarco and Gianluca Caruana Curran, while lawyers Therese Comodini Cachia and Jason Azzopardi are appearing parte civile on behalf of the Caruana Galizia family.

Judge Edwina Grima is presiding.

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17:00 The court hearing resumes with the testimony of Superintendent Nicholas Vella, who was stationed at the Mosta police station at the time of the murder. He describes the scene of the crime to the court, and he is the last witness of the day.

The sitting will resume tomorrow morning.

16:40: Degiorgio is asked who tipped them off about the police raids on the potato shed, and he replies that it was Melvin Theuma.  The defence however suggests that it was actually David Gatt who told them of that date, and Theuma had told them about the day after.

Degiorgio agrees.

The defence refers to Vince Muscat’s testimony that he was advised by Degiorgio and his brother to “walk into court with your head held high, to show them we have powerful people behind us” and asks where that advice came from.

Degiorgio replies that it came from Theuma “because we had Cardona and Schembri helping us.”

No further questions from the defence, but the prosecution has a question.

The prosecution asks why Degiorgio was so open to answering questions from the defence, but not from the prosecution – to which Degiorgio replies that he had originally intended to say that he wasn’t going to be answering questions from the prosecution.

Judge Edwina Grima calls a 10 minute break to proceedings.

16:30: The defence starts its cross-examination by asking about a promise that was allegedly made for the hitmen to be allowed a container’s worth of contraband cigarettes from the Freeport.

Degiorgio says that this promise came from Cardona.

He is told of Vince Muscat’s claim that he never got any money from the 2015 plot, but Degiorgio denies this, and says that Muscat went “straight to the casino to gamble them away.”

He also says that Melvin Theuma had told the hitmen that Keith Schembri was the man behind the 2017 murder plot.

Degiorgo said that Cardona had promised them two containers of contraband cigarettes and a fuel station in Xemxija.

The hitman, upon being shown the photo of Melvin Theuma and Keith Schembri, said that he had told police that he wanted to speak about Schembri and Cardona, but as soon as he tried mentioning them, the police “chucked us out.”

16:10: Degiorgio repeats the claim that Melvin Theuma was sent to them by Keith Schembri, and adds that this is why Theuma eventually got a pardon.

Degiorgio will now face cross-examination by the defence.

16:00 Degiorgio testifies that Melvin Theuma provided information while they were in prison regarding bail, specifically telling them to contact Keith Schembri and Chris Cardona to secure it, a claim he said was echoed by David Gatt. Additionally, Degiorgio confirms that Theuma tipped them off about their impending arrests, giving them a two-week warning.

15:51 Degiorgio confirms he spoke to Melvin Theuma while in prison using the prison phone. Regarding his legal representation, he stated that he initially had a legal aid lawyer because no one else would represent him, while William Cuschieri took over his defence later on. When asked who paid Cuschieri's fees, Degiorgio replied, "The money fell from the sky. Don't you know where it came from?"

15:47 As the prosecution shifted the questioning to the 2017 murder, Degiorgio stated he would not answer any questions regarding that.

15:45 When asked if he had further details on the 2015 plot, Degiorgio claims Chris Cardona told him that David Gatt would provide a rifle for the murder. He alleges that Vince Muscat's family was responsible for the 2014 murder of Jonathan Pace, owner of Tyson Butcher.

15:43 Degiorgio explains that the original plan was to stop Daphne Caruana Galizia on the road and shoot her, but when the 2015 plot was called off, David Gatt told him to keep the deposit money and promised to resolve the situation. He noted that no one else approached them about the plan until Melvin Theuma appeared in 2017.

15:40 Degiorgio says that on another occasion, Gatt and himself met Cardona at what he called "the stable."

While there, the witness says Cardona told them that: "You can go to Bidnija because the police won't be there."

Degiorgio tells the court that Cardona gave the group information on where to find the victim. However, the group soon gave up on trying to find her.

"One time we were in the Tal-Għarusa garden in Marsa and we saw her BMW pass, but we really couldn't find her," Degiorgio says. "Once, Chris told me that she could be abroad, but we didn't know where she was or how we could find her."

15:35 The plot was halted on the instructions of David Gatt, Degiorgio testifies. "We knew where we were going to kill her... then David Gatt came and told us to stop everything because an election was coming, some early election." 

15:31 When asked who gave the order for the police patrols to stop, Degiorgio replied that he presumed Cardona had spoken to the police commissioner. When asked by the prosecution to identify the commissioner at the time, Degiorgio stated he was not sure but thought it was Lawrence Cutajar. The police commissioner in 2015 was Michael Cassar, who has consistently denied any involvement in the murder plot.

15:26 Degiorgio testifies that he received a deposit for the 2015 plot, claiming that David Gatt took him to Portomaso five days after their initial meeting, where Chris Cardona handed him €50,000 in cash. He stated that this money was split four ways between himself, David Gatt, il-Koħħu, and Jamie Vella, with €10,000 set aside for expenses. Degiorgio added that after they began surveilling Daphne's home, they stopped due to a police patrol, but after he complained to Gatt, Cardona visited the potato shed and assured them, "You can continue, police won't be passing from there anymore."

15:19 Prosecutor Godwin Cini asks witness George Degiorgio to explain the events of 2015.

Degiorgio recalls that David Gatt had called him to ask to speak with him. Later, Gatt picked him up and took him to Portomaso. The pair then walked down the stairs and sat at a table in a shop.

"Chris Cardona was there and said he wants me to kill Daphne." Degiorgio says he proceeded to ask who Daphne Caruana Galizia was. "David will tell you," Cardona allegedly replied.

"What else did Chris say?" the prosecutor asks.

"He said she was going to break their party."

15:09 The break is over. The judge and the jury are back in the courtroom. George Degiorgio to continue testifying.

13:08: Degiorgio says that Cardona had told him in 2015 that Caruana Galizia had to be killed because “she is going to ruin the [Labour] party.”

Cini asks about the 2017 murder plan, but Degiorgio snaps back that he has forgotten. He claims that he had tried to speak to the police and Attorney General to tell his version but nobody had listened.

Cini retorts that he had been contact five times to give his side of the story, but Degiorgio says that they had ample time to ask him when he was arrested.  “Of course you didn't ask - you knew who sent us already," he said.

The questioning descends into a shouting match, which Judge Grima attempts to bring to order.  Degiorgio however ignores her and cops a €500 fine for being in contempt of court.

"Make it €1,000 instead of €500," Degiorgio shouts back. “I decide the figures here," Grima tells him.

That proves to be the end of a dramatic morning session.  The sitting resumes at 3pm.

13:00: George Degiorgio again insists that Keith Schembri had approached Melvin Theuma with the murder plan, but he is otherwise largely reticent in the face of questions.

He said he doesn’t remember how the victim died, and did not prepare anything related to the murder plan.  He does, however, say that the price for the murder was €150,000.

Degiorgio says he started tracking Caruana Galizia’s movements before the 2017 election, and that Theuma had told him to speed up the pace on the plan.  He says he only met Theuma once, and that he would communicate with Vince Muscat at the potato shed in Marsa, not via mobile phone.

12:48: Degiorgio claimed that he was not allowed to testify in his jury trial: "Two homicides in one jury... you should be ashamed. You tried influencing the jurors in our jury. I don't know how you sleep at night," he said.

Degiorgio was found guilty by a jury last year on both the Caruana Galizia homicide and the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop.

He said that he was prevented from testifying by the prosecution – that’s what he was told by his lawyers.  Judge Edwina Grima however says that the court had asked him if he wanted to testify. “I wanted to testify. Are you telling me my lawyers lied to me?", Degiorgio replies.

12:45: Asked how Chris Cardona got involved, Degiorgio said that it was because in 2015 he had been the one to give him the orders.  “Don’t look so surprised,” he tells the prosecutor.

Prosecutor Cini tells him that in previous testimony before the inquiring magistrate and compilation of evidence, he had never mentioned Keith Schembri.

“Because the police never took action,” Degiorgio replied. “We spent six years going down to the police depot.  Liars believe the police,” he said.

Asked why he had waited until the jury trial to try and implicate Keith Schembri, Degiorgio retorts by asking as to why Vince Muscat had waited until now to mention that he used to text Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Degiorgio said he got to know of this through the newspapers.

He becomes increasingly more animated, turning to the jurors and telling them to “be careful.”

12:19 George Degiorgio further testified that six individuals were involved in the plot: himself, Koħħu, Melvin Theuma, Chris Cardona, Keith Schembri, and David Gatt. He claimed that they had confronted Cardona to ask who had sent Theuma, and that Cardona allegedly replied, "Keith Schembri sent Melvin Theuma." When asked how Schembri became involved, Degiorgio said he did not know.

12:15 When asked about Theuma's initial approach, Degiorgio recounts telling Theuma to inform Keith Schembri that they would let him know when they were ready, noting that Theuma simply smiled and lowered his head before leaving. Degiorgio explains that he gave this response because Theuma had claimed Schembri sent him, and they wanted to verify who had actually hired him for the hit.

12:13 George Degiorgio states that the murder plot began in 2015, maintaining that everything had stalled between 2015 and 2017. When challenged by lawyer Godwin Cini regarding his previous testimony - which suggested the two plans were separate - Degiorgio confirmed that it was Melvin Theuma who approached him and his brother around April or May 2017 regarding the plot to kill Daphne Caruana Galizia.

12:07  Convicted hitman George Degiorgio is next to take the stand but, like his brother, is refusing to testify.

Prosecutor Godwin Cini (GC): "You were accused and found guilty of this homicide, and again on appeal. This case is closed and definitive. Please explain your involvement."

George Degiorgio (GD): "Our case is still pending both in Malta and abroad."

The court informs Degiorgio that their case has been decided in Malta and warned him that action will be taken if he refuses to testify.

GD, speaking to the court: "Take all the action you want. You have another 40 for me? I won't testify."

Degiorgio continues firing angry comments toward the court.

GD: "I'll testify on 2015 but not 2017. I knew what was happening in 2015. Maybe one day you'll arraign someone."

At this, Judge Edwina Grima bangs her gavel.

GD: "What a mistake you have all made."

12:04 Professor Marie Therese Camilleri and Dr Ali Safraz are next to take the stand.

Camilleri is a medical doctor and anatomy professor, while Safraz is a forensic pathologist. Both have worked on post-mortem reports for over 40 years.

The witnesses explained that Daphne Caruana Galizia's body was found extensively burned, and confirmed the final cause of death to be injuries sustained during the blast.

They explained that multiple fractures were found in the skull, which itself was badly burned.

Additionally, the witnesses recall dismemberment and charring of the body.

With that, their testimony comes to an end.

11:55 The court says Degiorgio is obliged to testify by order of the court.

After numerous warnings, Degiorgio has been re-arrested for refusing to testify. He will be charged with contempt of court. That brings his testimony to an end.

11:52 Prosecutor Godwin Cini (GC): "What involvement did Chris Cardona, David Gatt, and Keith Schembri have in this case?"

Degiorgio pleads to the court that he fears his family's safety.

GC: "Did someone approach you threatening the safety of your family?"

AD: "I won't answer."

There are no further questions from the prosecution.

There are no questions from the jury.

Court: "This is your last chance; you are obliged to testify."

AD: "I won't answer."

11:48: Prosecutor Godwin Cini attempts to ask more questions to the witness.

The court tells Degiorgio that he is obliged to testify.

Degiorgio says: "I want protection for my family if I choose to testify. You don't know how dangerous these three people are. I choose not to testify."

11:38 Lawyer Gianella de Marco asks Degiorgio about call logs with David Gatt, suggesting that he and David Gatt were in contact between January and October 2017. 

Alfred Degiorgio refuses to answer. 

The lawyer says she has no more questions to ask. 

11:30 Judge Edwina Grima and the jurors enter the courtroom.

Alfred Degiorgio takes his spot at the witness stand.

10:58: Alfred Degiorgio continues to refuse to answer questions. The judge tells him she will take action against him.

Defence lawyer Giannella de Marco (GDM): "Do you know Melvin Theuma?"

Convicted hitman Alfred Degiorgio (AD): "I won't answer."

GDM: "Mr Degiorgio, do you agree that when you and your brother requested a pardon-"

AD: "I won't answer."

GDM: "Do you agree that when you requested a pardon and you mentioned people such as Keith Schembri and Chris Cardona, they stopped talking to you about your pardon?"

AD: "I won't answer."

GDM: "Why did you mention those three people?"

AD: "I won't answer."

GDM: "If I tell you that David Gatt and yourself would often speak on the phone-"

AD: "I won't answer."

GDM: "What if I ask you about who provided the telescope for the sniper?"

AD: "I won't answer."

GDM: "This telescope was provided to be used to kill Daphne Caruana Galizia."

AD: "I won't answer."

GDM: "What if I asked you whether David Gatt was the first person who came to speak to you on behalf of Chris Cardona?"

AD: "I won't answer."

GDM: "Do you know Jamie Vella?"

AD: "I won't answer."

GDM: "The money for the murder, Melvin Theuma told you where it came from?"

AD: "I won't answer."

GDM: "Did Melvin Theuma create an entirely different story from what he said in the past?"

AD: "I won't answer."

GDM: "Was Vince Muscat a gambler?"

AD: "I won't answer."

GDM, speaking to the court: "Since he was called in yesterday, is the defence allowed to reference the call profiles between Degiorgio and Gatt?"

Court, speaking to Degiorgio: "We are going to make reference to documents. Are you going to answer questions about them?"

AD: "No."

Court: "We can take action against you."

AD: "I refuse."

The court has taken a 15-minute break.

10:48: Defence lawyer Giannella de Marco (GDM) begins cross-examining Alfred Degiorgio (AD).

GDM: "So, you entered this courtroom and made the declaration that you have a case in front of the European Court, and then you mentioned some people. Can you please repeat this statement?"

AD: "I have no doubt that Keith Schembri, Chris Cardona, and David Gatt are involved."

GDM: "Why are you saying this?"

AD: "I won't answer."

10:45 Prosecutor Godwin Cini (GC): "What about prison? Who did you speak to in prison?"

Alfred Degiorgio (AD): "I won't answer."

Cini continues to question the witness about Melvin Theuma, but Degiorgio refuses to answer.

GC: "Did someone tell you or pay you not to testify? Why don't you want to testify if your testimony is going to shock everyone? Did you come to an agreement with your brother about your testimony? I saw you admit. Why are you saying this now?"

AD: "I won't answer."

GC: "What's holding you back today?"

AD: "I won't answer."

GC: "Why didn't you testify last year?"

AD: "I won't answer."

GC: "On 20 May, during the magisterial investigation, you said 'I will answer only to one person'. Who is that person?

AD: "I won't answer."

GC: "Alfred, this is your obligation and chance to testify and tell the truth. You have a chance. Please explain your involvement."

AD: "I won't answer."

The prosecution has no further questions for Alfred Degiorgio.

Cross-examination by the defence will now begin.

10.36  Prosecutor Godwin Cini (GC): "You, even with your appeal, you are guilty. So, you are obliged to testify. Explain your involvement in the case to the jurors."

Convicted hitman Alfred Degiorgio (AD): "I don't want to."

GC: "You have to, you are here."

AD: "If I testify, I'm going to talk about all three of them."

Court: "So do it."

AD, speaking to the judge: "You took every legal right away from me. My testimony would shock all of you."

GC: "Please explain your involvement."

AD: "I don't want to."

The prosecutor asks a series of questions: "Who came to you to kill Daphne Caruana Galizia? What was your involvement? Why did he want to kill her? Who was involved? Who dropped you off? What was your price? How much were you paid? Where did you go to kill her? What did you do to commit this murder?" 

AD: "I don't want to answer any of those questions."

Cini continues asking numerous questions about the bomb, call profiles, and the date the bomb was made. Degiorgio answers none of them.

Court: "Why won't you answer any of the questions?"

AD: "I don't need to tell you anything. I'm contesting my case."

Court: "It was decided."

AD: "I'm still contesting it."

10:27 Degiorgio says he cannot answer any questions because he is contesting his sentence in the European Court of Human Rights. 

The judge says the case is closed. Questions will be put to him, and he will decide whether he wants to answer. 

Defence lawyer Charles Mercieca asks the court to clarify whether he is correct to assume that the witness will be permitted to refuse to answer certain questions.

Judge Edwina Grima reiterates that her position is clear: the prosecution will proceed with its questioning, and the witness may decide himself whether or not to respond.

The jurors are called back into the courtroom.

10:25 Before the prosecution could start asking questions, Alfred Degiorgio says "I want to say something, Chris Cardona and Keith Schembri..." before being stopped by the court.

"If I remember something I never admitted to you," he continued, before being stopped by the court again.

Jurors are asked to leave the courtroom.

The defence wants to make a legal point. 

10:10 The next witness is Alfred Degiorgio.

10:08 The witness exhibits further 3D images of the reconstructed crime scene, which include numerous coloured markings indicating the car's lines of sight along with the victim's home.

Next, Formosa shows a programmed 3D image of the blast itself.

The image shows the car being blown up in impressive detail.

This marks the end of Saviour Formosa's testimony.

The defence has no questions for this witness.

9:54 Formosa says that he was tasked with 'crime scene reconstruction,' through which investigators rebuild the scene in a 3D format.

He explains that investigators gathered 3D models from the scene to better understand the explosion, the trajectory of the car, and the location of the explosion.

The report drawn up by Formosa shows 3D images of the field in which the car was found.

The witness shows the court a programmed 3D model of the scene, zooming in on the area of the explosion and the area in which the car ended up. He also focuses on Caruana Galizia's home.

9:41 Professor Saviour Formosa it next to take the stand. With 30 years of experience, Formosa is a 3D mapping expert and professor of criminology and special information systems used to capture 3D models of crime scenes.

The court will make reference to the report he made during the investigation into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

9:38 The defence says it is shocked at the fact that the prosecution is "wasting their energy" on such matters instead of conducting a proper investigation of Keith Schembri and Chris Cardona.

In response, the court insists that the prosecution must provide the names of the witnesses it intends to produce.

The court forms a system which ensures that the prosecution names the witnesses within the proper timeframe. Both parties were then asked to indicate the witnesses they plan to call to the stand over the next few days.

For the second time, the court orders the prosecution to, whenever possible, give an indication of its witnesses at least 48-hours in advance.

This order also applies to the defence.

The jury enters the courtroom now that the matter has been settled.

09:29 The prosecution says it is displeased that they are being accused of such behaviour after the defence exhibited a document not featured in the submitted evidence earlier in the trial.

9:27 The defence explains that in the beginning of the trial, the prosecution was ordered to provide the court with the names of the witnesses they wished to produce at least 48-hours before calling them to stand.

The prosecution had agreed with the order, but defence lawyer Charles Mercieca points out that the situation has played out differently in practice.

Yesterday, after a long sitting which finished very late, the defence was informed that the prosecution intends to call George and Alfred Degiorgio to the stand. It was also informed that the prosecution wished to produce Inspector Nicholas Vella, who is the prime investigator of the Melvin Theuma case.

This was less than 16-hours before the sitting.

"The fact that the court is informed of principal witnesses the night before is unacceptable," Mercieca said.

9:22 The judge has entered the courtroom and the trial has resumed.

The defence has a legal point to make.

9am The sitting is about to start.