Daphne Caruana Galizia murder suspect Vince Muscat, colloquially known as Il-Koħħu, has implicated a sitting minister in a “very serious” crime, Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi has warned.

Azzopardi, who is the lawyer of Caruana Galizia’s family, said Muscat had named this minister when giving police information about an unspecified crime, not the murder of Caruana Galizia, earlier this year.

He was deliberately vague, merely stating that the minister concerned isn’t a lawyer and that he wasn’t implicated in terms of legal advice he had given or a meal or party he had attended.

“The Prime Minister has known about this since March and he’s trying to act like those three monkeys who don’t see, hear or speak,” Azzopardi said. “This is extremely serious and no wonder we’re living in a mafia state. There is somebody in Cabinet right now who a first-class criminal mentioned in connection with a serious crime that took place a few years ago.”

“We must realise that we’re in a situation where criminals have become politicians and politicians have become criminals. This is extremely shocking and has given me many sleepless nights but I must keep certain things to myself.”

Vince Muscat has requested a pardon in return for information on the Caruana Galizia murder, which will reportedly implicate suspected bomb makers Robert Agius and Jamie Vella, and other serious crimes.

Azzopardi urged the authorities to consult Caruana Galizia’s family before deciding whether or not to grant Muscat a pardon, but expressed scepticism over the possibility.

“I appeal for righteousness,” he said. “Is it just for a person to commit robberies and murders and then request a pardon in return for information when they caught? I don’t think so. In that case, the Degiorgio brothers could also say they have more information and ask for a pardon and we’ll end up undermining justice.”