Criminal trio in Caruana Galizia murder were squatters in Marsa docks property

Three men accused of murdering Daphne Caruana Galizia had illegally occupied the metal shed in Marsa where they were arrested, MaltaToday has learnt.

George Degiorgio, his brother Alfred Degiorgio and Vince Muscat were arrested in the Menqa area on 4 December in one of the enclosures that form part of the ex-potato shed, which is government property.

However, the Lands Authority said that according to its records no lease agreements existed with third parties on the use of the shed, which once served as the transit point for the export of potatoes.

It is believed that the criminal gang had long occupied part of the structure, which is strategically located at the water’s edge, with direct access to the Grand Harbour.

And they were not alone to usurp public property. When this newspaper visited the site yesterday, other parts of the large shed appeared occupied as well.

It appears that all those making use of the potato shed are squatters.

The Degiorgio brothers and Muscat operated from the last section of the shed, where a soft-toy effigy of spiderman was still hanging from the ceiling yesterday. The place remains under police watch.

A relative of George Degiorgio had last year posted a photo on Facebook of a white Corvette Stingray worth about €70,000, parked inside the very same shed where the arrests were made. A cabin cruiser that belongs to George Degiorgio was berthed along the quay at the time of the police and army raid earlier this month.

In the aftermath of the arrests people who work in the area and residents had described the Menqa area to MaltaToday as a den of criminality. One worker had also noted the presence of luxury cars near the potato shed every Saturday morning.

The area is an industrial zone with various warehouses, offices and some residences situated below the power station hill.