Defence concludes case

Defence lawyer Manwel Mallia yesterday morning concluded his address to jurors, arguing that the prosecution was basing its case on speculation and suspicion.

He said Daphne Caruana Galizia had written several scathing articles about hunting, the civil service and tenders, apart from the article she had written before the resignation of Maurice Calleja, so one could not easily identify the motive behind her door being set alight.

Two men known to the police had said Meinrad Calleja had commissioned them to commit the crime but these were never brought to testify and, hence, one could not be assured about whether they were telling the truth.

The prosecution was speculating and sowing doubts when it said, without proving it, that Maurice Calleja had acted as his son's guardian.

The case of Tony Mallia's anonymous letters was not proven to be part of the way Meinrad Calleja used to operate.

Dr Mallia said the prosecution was trying to rely on circumstantial evidence but such evidence should only lead to one conclusion for it to be considered as valid.