‘I’d be better off if they killed me’: secret recordings indicate Melvin Theuma’s despair about murder plot

On Thursday afternoon, jurors who will be responsible for determining the fate of alleged murder accomplice Yorgen Fenech listened to a recording made by confessed murder middleman Melvin Theuma, indicating his despair and anger about the murder plot. At one point, he said he would be “better off if they killed me”, in reference to those involved in Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder.

Theuma’s explicit fantasising about dying or being killed came up often throughout multiple recorded conversations he made secretly with Fenech’s former business partner, Johann Cremona – who’s been testifying about his direct ties with key individuals allegedly involved in the murder plot since last Tuesday.

Theuma’s secretly recorded conversations, which are replete with a profligate amount of swearing and unintelligible mumbling, provide insight into Theuma’s attempts at wriggling out of the police investigation’s noose tightening around his neck.

The recordings were played in Fenech’s trial by jury by the prosecution. He stands charged with complicity in Caruana Galizia’s voluntary homicide and criminal association. He denies the charges.

In one exchange, Theuma was heard saying he was “in danger”, before repeatedly telling Cremona: “it would be better if they killed me.”

“Aħjar joqtluni, aħjar joqtluni ħa neħles,” Theuma said, adding that his death would free him, his friends and his family from the pressure he was under.

“This isn’t living,” he told Cremona.

In his recordings, Theuma also threatened to expose Fenech over and over again, while Cremona tried to calm him down and dissuade him from taking drastic action.

Earlier in the same recording, Theuma appeared to complain that Fenech was cutting contact with him. Cremona told the court that Fenech had merely switched off his phone for around a week and was not answering Theuma’s calls.

Theuma was heard saying he could bring in “the commissioner” and Silvio Valletta, while telling Cremona he spent his days crying in his car.

Cremona said Theuma was speaking in the context of all the trouble surrounding the murder plot.

Another section of Theuma’s recordings focused on his belief that Fenech knew exactly what had happened. He then referred to what he described as Fenech’s mistake: “they only made one mistake…I recorded them, with Keith Schembri and everything.”

Theuma also appeared to be aware of just how crucial the evidence would turn out to be, suggesting that without screenshots of messages and recordings, he would have had nothing to show.

At another point, Theuma referred to money allegedly linked to the wider fallout from the murder plot, including regular payments to the Degiorgio brothers and sums he believed could be sourced through Keith Schembri.

Theuma was heard angrily complaining in his recordings that Fenech had sent him repeatedly to speak to people before the murder, but was now avoiding him.

“I will tell him that in the hardest moment, you left me alone,” Theuma can be heard saying in his  recordings, extending the same sentiment to “that as*hole friend of his, Keith Schembri.”

Earlier on Thursday, Cremona testified that, during these conversations, he was trying to manage Theuma’s mental state rather than stating facts he knew independently.

He told the court that he often exaggerated, bluffed, or said what he believed Theuma needed to hear in order to stop him from spiralling further.

In one excerpt, Cremona, who was unaware of being recorded, was heard telling Theuma that “if it came down to it”, Theuma had only passed money and had not given any orders.

He also told Theuma that Caruana Galizia was “worse off dead than alive”, later explaining that he meant the murder had brought greater police attention and worsened the situation for everyone involved.

Cross-examined by defence lawyer Giannella DeMarco, Cremona confirmed he only became involved after the murder and after Kenneth Camilleri helped arrange contact with Theuma.

He said Theuma told him Camilleri had promised bail for the Degiorgio brothers, but later clarified that he had not heard the first meetings between them and only overheard part of a later conversation.

Cremona also confirmed that Theuma wanted money from Schembri, after another Theuma recording was played in which Cremona told Theuma that Schembri should give him €100,000, not €50,000.

The witness said Theuma spoke frequently about money laundering, his wish for a pardon, the Degiorgios’ demands, and his fear of being left to carry the blame.

Throughout the afternoon, Cremona maintained that he did not know whether Theuma’s claims were true, but that Theuma had been desperate, angry and afraid.

The trial continues on Friday morning.