Joseph Muscat is “doing his utmost” to make sure he’ll never have to face a judge, according to new Opposition leader Bernard Grech.

“I’ve yet to hear of anyone who is up to his neck in mud but doesn’t stink himself,” Grech said today, when asked by interviewer Andrew Azzopardi whether he believes Muscat, who resigned from Parliament this week, is personally implicated in government corruption.

“Everyone, including Labour supporters, is convinced that Muscat failed badly, that we must find out who owns Egrant and that Muscat had to take better decisions. [Finance Minister] Edward Scicluna recently said that he wasn’t aware of the existence of a Kitchen Cabinet like one of those three monkeys who cannot see, hear or speak.”

“However, people are convinced that Muscat had serious shortcomings and that we still have more to learn. I’m convinced that he’s doing his utmost to make sure he doesn’t have to face a judge so the whole truth won’t come out.”

Grech said the public inquiry looking into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination should take “as long as it needs” after Prime Minister Robert Abela said it should stick to its December deadline.

He also reiterated his call for a public inquiry into the ElectroGas power station contract, teasing his followers that “further developments” in this regard will be announced in the coming days.