Laptops and hard drives used by journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia at the time she was murdered, have been requested in evidence by lawyers of the businessman accused of complicity in the murder. 

The request was filed by Yorgen Fenech’s lawyers who claim that the two laptops and three hard drives were highly important not only to prove his innocence but also to test the version supplied by Melvin Theuma.

When testifying at the ongoing compilation of evidence, the prosecution’s star witness, self-confessed middleman Theuma recounted how he had been engaged by Fenech to source and contract hitmen “to get rid” of Caruana Galizia before she published “a story about his uncle”.

Theuma had testified that  Fenech never disclosed what sort of information Caruana Galizia was to publish.

Nor did he ask. 

But when Yorgen Fenech said, "ha tilħaq toħrogli l-informazzjoni" Theuma deduced that the info related to him, not his uncle.

The journalist wrote about matters of public interest, some controversial, and even about cases of alleged corruption.

Her work devices were therefore crucial to prove Fenech’s innocence, his lawyers said in the application filed in the records of the murder compilation presided over by Magistrate Rachel Montebello.

The police was bound to collect and preserve all evidence, “both in favour and against the accused,” and that included the victim’s devices, argued the lawyers, making reference to a pronouncement by the Constitutional Court.

In that case, filed by one of the alleged hitmen Alfred Degiorgio, the court said that such evidence was to be preserved during the compilation. 

Lawyers Gianluca Caruana Curran, Marion Camilleri and Charles Mercieca signed the application.