Key facts
- Yorgen Fenech, on trial for the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, claims he was framed by police.
- Fenech testified that Keith Schembri, former chief of staff to Malta's prime minister, was the mastermind behind the murder.
- Fenech alleged that Schembri felt fixated on Caruana Galizia and suggested revenge.
- Fenech claimed Schembri provided him with advance warnings of police raids and arrests.
- The prosecution's case relies on the testimony of Melvin Theuma, who alleges Fenech hired the hitmen.
- Fenech stated he paid €400,000 to Theuma to assist the convicted hitmen with legal costs.
Yorgen Fenech, the businessman on trial for the 2017 murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, has for the first time in court claimed he was framed by police and that Keith Schembri, the former chief of staff to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, was the true mastermind.
Fenech, 44, testified over four days, accusing Schembri of giving the go-ahead for the murder. He described a close friendship with Schembri, stating that Schembri was fixated on Caruana Galizia due to her reporting on his personal matters, including a brain tumor. Fenech alleged that Schembri raised the idea of killing Caruana Galizia during a barbecue at his family ranch and later approved of a plan to murder her.
Fenech also claimed Schembri repeatedly leaked sensitive information to him, including advance warnings of police raids and arrests. He stated that Schembri used him to relay messages to Melvin Theuma, the self-confessed middleman, to warn the hitmen of their impending arrest. Fenech further alleged that Schembri shared a screenshot of a confidential Europol report listing potential suspects.
The prosecution's case relies heavily on Theuma's testimony, who alleges Fenech paid him €150,000 to hire the three men convicted of planting the car bomb. Fenech admitted to handing over €400,000 to Theuma to help pay the legal costs of the convicted hitmen, George and Alfred Degiorgio, and Vincent Muscat. Fenech also spoke of his struggles with drug addiction, attributing it to the stress of the situation.
During cross-examination, Fenech was challenged by prosecution lawyer Godwin Cini, who questioned his assertion of powerlessness and suggested his fingerprints were all over the crime. Fenech maintained that Theuma felt he had power because he knew who the real mastermind was, reiterating his accusation against Keith Schembri.