‘You’re my best friend’: Disgraced deputy police commissioner told Fenech

Former deputy police commissioner Silvio Valletta repeatedly referred to alleged murder suspect Yorgen Fenech as his ‘best friend’, arranged private meetings with him, discussed trips abroad and even sought his help to charter a private jet for his then-wife, former cabinet Minister Justyne Cariana, according to messages and videos extracted from Fenech’s mobile phone that were exhibited before the ongoing jury on Tuesday.

The latest evidence presented in the trial by jury of Yorgen Fenech laid bare the close relationship between the former senior police officer and the businessman at the centre of the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder case.

Police witnesses tasked with analysing the contents of electronic devices seized during the investigation presented jurors with a series of Signal conversations, photographs and videos recovered from Fenech’s phone.

In one exchange, after Fenech informed Valletta that he was on his way to the doctor before stopping by to see him, the former deputy police commissioner replied: ‘You’re my best friend.’ Fenech answered: ‘Goodnight, mate.’

Other conversations showed the pair arranging meetings and discussing a return trip to Madrid to watch football. In another exchange, dated May 2019, Valletta asked Fenech whether he knew anyone who could charter a private jet for his wife, Minister Justyne Caruana, to travel from Malta to Corfu. Fenech replied that he would obtain a quotation before informing him that a same-day return flight would cost around €30,000.

The jury was also shown a photograph of Valletta recovered from Fenech’s phone and a video filmed by Fenech showing the former deputy police commissioner standing beside a white Rolls-Royce inside what appeared to be a garage at Portomaso.

The evidence was presented as police officers continued guiding jurors through thousands of documents, messages and files extracted from Fenech’s electronic devices.

During cross-examination, the defence sought to establish whether the recovered conversations between Valletta and Fenech contained any discussion about the investigation into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination.

The police witness replied that they did not.

The defence also asked whether investigators had found any communications between Fenech and Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud or Inspector Kurt Zahra relating to the investigation. Again, the witness replied that none had been found.

However, during re-examination, prosecutor Godwin Cini asked the witness who had been the superior officer of both Arnaud and Zahra at the time the murder investigation began.

The answer was Silvio Valletta.

The prosecution’s focus on Valletta’s relationship with Fenech comes years after the former deputy police commissioner was removed from overseeing the murder investigation following constitutional proceedings filed by Daphne Caruana Galizia’s family.

The Constitutional Court concluded that Valletta’s close relationship with Fenech gave rise to legitimate concerns over his impartiality, particularly after evidence emerged that the two men socialised together, attended football matches and travelled abroad.

Former Minister Justyne Caruana left her husband soon after the revelations became public.

Proceedings so far also included evidence concerning communications between Fenech and middleman Melvin Theuma, including disappearing Signal messages and exchanges in which Fenech sought to reassure Theuma and informed him about police activity.

Separate evidence relating to alleged attempts by Fenech to purchase firearms and cyanide through the dark web was also presented after the court rejected defence objections to its admissibility.

Fenech has pleaded not guilty to complicity in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.