Police descended on Keith Schembri's Mellieha villa on Tuesday to haul him to court after he failed to turn up for a hearing linked to journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder. 

The prime minister’s former chief of staff was expected to feature as a witness in a constitutional case Daphne Caruana Galizia murder suspect Yorgen Fenech filed against lead investigator Keith Arnaud to have him removed from the case. 

The police were first seen ringing the doorbell before later entering the garage complex leading to his villa. 

Mr Schembri's former private secretary Kenneth Azzopardi escorted the police inside moments later. 

He told the media he had not been notified about the case and as soon as he read about it on Times of Malta's live blog. 

The prime minister's former chief of staff was seen being driven away by court officials some minutes later. 

Mr Schembri did not turn up on Tuesday as the courts did not manage to notify him about the case.

The former top official has spent the last weeks since his resignation holed up in his Mellieħa villa. 

Police outside Mr Schembri's Mellieha home on Tuesday.

He has not answered his doorbell when approached by media camped outside his home. 

His confidante Neville Gafà, as well as an OPM car, have regularly been observed visiting Mr Schembri’s home. 

Asked about the alleged leaks he was passing to people involved as he was leaving the court building, Mr Schembri said he would be testifying in court on Wednesday at 10.30am.

In November, Mr Schembri dropped a libel case to avoid testifying about 17 Black. 

Mr Schembri was arrested and interrogated by the police hours after his resignation in connection with Ms Caruana Galizia’s assassination. 

He was released two days later without charge. 

Mr Fenech has told police the former government official was involved in the commissioning of the murder. 

Self-confessed middleman Melvin Theuma has also told a court he thought Mr Schembri was somehow involved in the plot. 

A letter found by the police during searches of Mr Fenech’s Portomaso property implicates both the millionaire business magnate and Mr Schembri in the murder.

The letter, hand-written by Mr Theuma, claims both Mr Fenech and Mr Schembri ordered and funded the October 2017 car bombing.

Mr Theuma expressed his fears in the letter that the pair were planning to “get rid” of him.