Court dismisses Maksar brothers' claims of rights breaches

Malta’s highest court has thrown out claims by Ta’ Maksar brothers Robert and Adrian Agius and their associate Jamie Vella that their rights were breached when a presidential pardon was given to Vincent Muscat il-Koħħu in return for information.

Mr Justice Robert Mangion ruled that no court had the power to examine a pardon given by the President of Malta in line with the provisions in the constitution.

Presiding over the First Hall of the Civil Court in its constitutional jurisdiction, he ruled that issues of whether the president had followed the established procedure in the constitution in granting the pardon and matters relating to the provision of advice to the president may not be examined by any court, even where a breach of fundamental rights is alleged. 

Muscat had been pardoned for the 2015 murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop and then admitted to being one of the hitmen who murdered Caruana Galizia. He is serving a 15-year sentence for that crime.

On the back of evidence provided by Muscat, Robert Agius and Vella stand accused of having supplied the bomb used to murder Caruana Galizia in October 2017.

Adrian Agius stands accused of commissioning the murder of the lawyer...