Chris Cardona has dismissed any allegations made by Vince Muscat during today’s sensational sitting as “hearsay” and “part of a plot to frame” the former politician. 

Speaking to Lovin Malta, Cardona outright denied the claims that he leaked a wealth of information to Alfred Degiorgio, one of the men charged with assassinating journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. 

This included details like the whereabouts of Caruana Galizia in the lead-up to her murder and the imminent arrests of Muscat, Degiorgio, and George Degiorgio. 

According to Degiorgio, Cardona would message the high-profile lawyer, who in turn would get the information from then-Assistant Commissioner Silvio Valletta.

“These are blatant lies and form part of a frame-up plot that was built much before 2017,” Cardona said, referencing an alleged sensational plot from Yorgen Fenech and Keith Schembri.

Muscat told the courts that in the months before the murder, the three hitmen were growing frustrated with the lack of information on Caruana Galizia to help them carry out the assassination.

Degiorgio said he would reach out to his own sources for information. On one occasion, Muscat dropped him off at Castille. Degiorgio would later tell him that he met with Cardona. 

Muscat also claimed that the men were tipped off on their arrests at least two or three weeks before. Muscat explained that Degiorgio told him that Cardona was fearful that he would be arrested and interrogated over his relationship with Degiorgio. 

It should be noted that Muscat said that he never spoke with Cardona directly and was fed the information from Degiorgio.

Cardona raised issues with the claims themselves, insisting that any meetings held at Castille would be found on the official records. Lovin Malta has sent a request to both the Office of the Prime Minister and the Economy Ministry for records. 

Muscat issued the claims in a court of law and would be found guilty of perjury and lose his presidential pardon if he’s found to be lying. Pressed on this fact, Cardona continued to insist that this was just hearsay. 

Lovin Malta regularly asked Cardona if he was willing to sign an affidavit documenting his denial. He did not respond outright but said he would provide evidence and have an examination in court. 

“I’ve said these things in front of investigators, and I’ll say it again in court,” he said. 

Cardona confirmed that he was the lawyer of the Degiorgios in the past, lamenting that a criminal law career and politics simply do not mix. 

Cardona was also thrown in the spotlight after Yorgen Fenech’s arrest when it emerged that a letter detailing his involvement in the killing was revealed as having been sent to Fenech by then OPM Chief of Staff Keith Schembri via their mutual doctor.

The former minister has cropped up throughout the case. State witness Melvin Theuma has detailed a financial relationship between Cardona and  Degiorgio, suggesting he used middleman Tony ‘Il-Biglee’ Chetcuti to pass on payment.

More sensationally, Theuma said that Fenech claimed Cardona was so worried about the murder that he ended up hospitalised after an overdose on pills. Meanwhile, it’s also been claimed his relationship with Degiorgio included burner phones, family jobs, and a potential marijuana procurement license.

What do you think of the denial? Comment below