The bail granted earlier in the week to Daphne Caruana Galizia murder suspects  Alfred and George Degiorgio in connection with money-laundering offences was revoked by the Criminal Court on Thursday.

The brothers together with George Degiorgio’s partner Anca Adelina Pop, are being charged with a series of money laundering-related offences.

Ms Pop had been granted bail in July.

Magistrate Joe Mifsud had granted the men bail on October 30 saying the denial of bail was the exception and not the rule.

He had noted that 44 witnesses had been held in nine sittings and decreed that the men could be released against a personal guarantee of €30,000 and a deposit of €20,000 each.

Deciding on an appeal filed by the Attorney General, magistrate Edwina Grima said that what the court had to look at when deciding on bail were the criteria laid down in article 575 of the Criminal Code.

However, she praised the first court for its emphasis on the presumption of innocence.

The Attorney General based his appeal on the fact that the criteria in article 575 could not be satisfied, pointing to a previous decision in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder case by the Court of Appeal in which it said that the accused did not offer the necessary guarantees that they would not abscond or break the law again.

The AG also pointed out there were still civilian witnesses to testify so there was the fear of tampering with evidence.

Acting Attorney General Philip Galea Farrugia and lawyer Anne Marie Cutajar conducted the prosecution. Lawyer William Cuschieri appeared for the Degiorgio brothers.