In a decision today, the Criminal Court presided over by judge Giovanni Grixt denied Agius’ request for bail given the severe nature of the crimes he has been accused of, including murder and criminal conspiracy. 

The court noted that there was no guarantee that Agius would not seek to flee the country should he be released from prison. Nor could it be guaranteed that he would not tamper with evidence or commit another crime. 

The court said it was not convinced that there were grounds for Agius to be granted bail. 

The Maksar brothers are believed to be at the centre of a vast criminal organisation that he been behind a series of violent murders between gang members in Malta. 

In June, the police discovered a cache of weapons on the seabed off Miġra Ferħa in Rabat. The weapons included AK-47 assault rifles as well as bomb detonators.

It was also recently reported that investigators believe the brothers could have another ready-to-use bomb somewhere in Malta.

On Monday, the courts also denied a bail request by Vella, with Judge Edwina Grima similarly noting the severity of the crime he was charged with. 

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