‘Joseph Muscat knew Keith Schembri wanted Caruana Galizia dead’ – Yorgen Fenech

Former prime minister Joseph Muscat knew that his chief of staff Keith Schembri wanted Daphne Caruana Galizia killed, Yorgen Fenech claimed during his 2019 police interrogation, footage of which was played to jurors on Tuesday.

Fenech claimed Muscat was one of three people who “100%” knew about Schembri’s alleged involvement, alongside businessman Johann Cremona and doctor Adrian Vella.

“Why do you think the Prime Minister called for me?” Fenech told investigators, claiming Muscat summoned him to Castille because he knew Fenech was under surveillance and wanted to know whether he trusted murder middleman Melvin Theuma.

According to Fenech, Muscat summoned him to his Castille office in January 2019, with Schembri also present. Muscat allegedly asked Fenech whether he knew Theuma and whether Schembri was mentioned in secret recordings Theuma was making.

Fenech went further, claiming Muscat told him a police raid on Theuma would eventually have to take place because of “external pressure”.

He alleged that clandestine gambling would be used as the pretext for the raid while an undercover officer would actually search for Theuma’s recordings. According to Fenech, Muscat told him to speak to Theuma and ensure the tapes were not found.

The claims emerged as jurors were shown footage of Fenech’s police interrogations following his November 2019 arrest.

Throughout the interrogation, Fenech sought to place Schembri at the origins of the murder plot, telling police it was “shameful” that he was under arrest instead of the former chief of staff and accusing investigators of covering up for him.

Fenech claimed Schembri had wanted to “get rid” of Caruana Galizia for years because of her reporting about him. He told investigators that an earlier plan had involved a €30,000 payment but had fallen through, with Schembri subsequently continuing to ask him to find somebody to carry out the murder.

Fenech said Theuma later told him that hitmen wanted €120,000. He claimed he immediately informed Schembri, who told him to “mexxi, mexxi, mexxi” – go ahead – and that an initial €50,000 was subsequently provided.

Fenech also admitted handing Theuma €150,000 after being picked up from the airport.

When Inspector Kurt Zahra asked directly whether the €150,000 was intended to have Caruana Galizia killed, Fenech replied: “That’s what he [Theuma] said,” before saying he would elaborate later because he was uncomfortable.

He also claimed Schembri later delivered a bag containing around €75,000 to €85,000 to his office after Theuma repeatedly demanded more cash.

Investigators repeatedly challenged Fenech’s account. At one stage Zahra told him: “You’re not making sense!”, questioning why Theuma would have approached Fenech for the €120,000 if Schembri was supposedly behind the plot.

Fenech also claimed Schembri kept him informed about the murder investigation and Theuma’s impending arrest, and later attempted to arrange for him to leave Malta.

According to Fenech, Schembri and Vella had devised a plan to take him to Tunisia, although Fenech maintained that he himself had no intention of fleeing.

The trial is ongoing.