One of three men accused of carrying out the 2017 assassination of Maltese anti-corruption journalist and blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia pleaded guilty in court on Tuesday.
Vincent Muscat was arrested in December 2017 with two others over the case that rocked the tiny republic, setting off a chain of events that led to the resignation of Joseph Muscat (no relation) as prime minister.
Vincent Muscat and brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio were all accused of procuring, planting and detonating the bomb that killed the journalist on October 16, 2017.
In a dramatic pre-trial hearing, Muscat's lawyer Marc Sant informed the court that his client wanted to register for admission.
When asked how he wanted to plead, Muscat replied: "Guilty."
Judge Edwina Grima told the lawyer: "These are grave accusations. Murder, conspiracy... he (Muscat) possibly faces a life term."
But Muscat repeated that he pleaded guilty.
Published 23 February 2021, 13:55 IST