Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis has dismissed questions about his familiarity with alleged murder conspirator Yorgen Fenech, after chats between the two were published earlier this week. 

Author and former Labour Party delegate Mark Camilleri on Tuesday evening published transcripts of chats between Fenech and Zammit Lewis, in a blog post entitled ‘Beware of pigs bearing gifts’. 

The chats show how Zammit Lewis repeatedly engaged with Fenech over messaging platform Whatsapp, even after the latter was outed as the hidden owner of offshore company 17 Black which is at the centre of corruption claims.

The communication ran on until just a few weeks before Fenech was arrested and charged with complicity in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.  

At one point in the chats published this week, Zammit Lewis inquired about having dinner at Fenech’s Żebbuġ farmhouse. 

Asked whether Zammit Lewis saw a conflict between his position as justice minister and his familiarity with someone embroiled in such a high-profile criminal case, a ministry spokesperson said the politician was focused on the portfolio that has been entrusted to him.

The spokesperson said Zammit Lewis had already commented on the matter in the past.  

Times of Malta first exposed the extent of Zammit Lewis’ communication with Fenech back in September 2020, reporting that the two had shared hundreds of messages in 2019.  

It is understood that Zammit Lewis and Fenech met over meals during 2019, even after the businessman was outed as the owner of the once-secret offshore company.

17 Black, and its involvement in alleged corruption tied to the gas-fired power station, has been described as a potential motive in the assassination plot by police investigating the case.

What Zammit Lewis previously said

Last year, Zammit Lewis told Times of Malta that he had cut off contact with Fenech “well before he was implicated in the assassination of Ms Daphne Caruana Galizia and this remains the case till today." 

Zammit Lewis had at the time insisted that he had never had any legal or commercial relationship with Fenech, or any other form of relationship through which he may have benefitted in any way. 

The last message in the chats released by Camilleri this week is dated October 5, 2019. Fenech was arrested six weeks later, on November 19.

Zammit Lewis also faced questions about his relationship with Fenech in July 2020. 

He told Times of Malta at the time that “there is no relationship” between himself and Fenech. He had said he got to know Fenech when he served as tourism minister [between 2014 and 2017], because the businessman was a leading operator in the sector.

“It is a small country, everyone knows everyone,” he had said.

The minister later added that his “acquaintance” with Fenech would not impact his work as justice minister and ensuring justice is served. 

The proximity between the two could raise potential claims of conflict of interest, given that any potential request for a presidential pardon would land first on the minister’s desk. 

Fenech has previously sought – and denied – a presidential pardon by the cabinet of the previous government.