Rule of law NGO Repubblika has raised doubts about denials made by Labour deputy leader Chris Cardona in the wake of court evidence on Monday which implicated him in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
The NGO said that state witness Melvin Theuma, while giving evidence in court, "gave more reasons that make one doubt how much the declarations by the deputy leader of the Labour Party should be believed."
Theuma testified that murder suspect Yorgen Fenech had told him that an intermediary acting on behalf of Cardona had paid money to one of Caruana Galizia's alleged hitmen.
He also told the court that he had heard of threats made by lawyer David Gatt, who shared an office with Cardona, warning against implicating the politician in the killing,
"From yesterday’s evidence, Chris Cardona seems to be heavily implicated in Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder," the NGO observed.
Cardona told Times of Malta hours after the court evidence that the declarations by Theuma were lies and an attempt to frame him by those really involved in the Caruana Galizia murder.
'No proof of innocence'
In a statement on Tuesday, Repubblika said that while everyone was presumed innocent until proven guilty, one could not forget the extents to which the impunity of Chris Cardona has reached, just like the impunity of Keith Schembri.
"Both were arrested for a few hours last December and freed as though nothing had happened. This leads us to maintain that Cardona’s declarations are not proof of innocence. They are proof that the two men are still under the protection of the government and act as a mafia – a state within a state – and nobody can do anything against them."
It said Chris Cardona’s denials were not at all convincing.
"Melvin Theuma’s evidence is yet another of the many clues that we already knew about: Chris Cardona was caught lying more than once about his relationship with Alfred Degiorgio (one of the men accused of the journalist's murder). Cardona’s business partner, David Gatt was accused (and found innocent) of the same robbery as Vince Muscat (il-Koħħu). Chris Cardona’s number was the only telephone number found on a burner phone that was thrown away from the shore where the potato shed, the quarters of the assassins accused of murdering Daphne Caruana Galizia, was situated. This apart from other clues that the police may have, which we still know nothing about."
Repubblika stressed that Theuma is not just any witness but a witness entrusted by the state. He has the choice between saying the truth in order to help the prosecutor throw Alfred and George Degiorgio, Vince Muscat and Yorgen Fenech in prison for the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, or going to prison to pay for what he has already admitted to having done.
We warn that at some point we will have to go back to the streets
The NGO criticised Prime Minister Robert Abela and Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne for having "closed their eyes", as though Cardona was accused of something trivial.
This silence was also mafia protection, it argued.
"We warn that at some point we will have to go back to the streets and squares to remind everyone that we will not tolerate the impunity of these killers and thieves. If Robert Abela keeps his duty in mind, he should propose that Chris Cardona is expelled from the Partit Laburista as from today," the NGO said.
It renewed its appeals to the police, the attorney general and the magistrature to deliver justice. Their duty, it said, was not to protect Robert Abela’s reputation.