Christian Kalin from Henley and Partners had intended to file libel action against Daphne Caruana Galizia in the UK, but Minister Owen Bonnici had suggested a legal letter instead, a senior government official testified on Monday.
Jonathan Cardona, former head at the Individual Investor Programme and currently chief executive at the newly set up Community Malta Agency, was testifying at the public inquiry into the journalist’s assassination when he recalled a meeting between Kalin and Bonnici, then responsible for the golden passports scheme.
The Henley and Partners chairman had approached the meeting “with the frame of mind of filing the case,” but the minister’s suggestion had prompted a “de-escalation of the situation” and a “re-think,” Cardona said, adding that as far as he was aware, no such action was instituted against anyone.
An email exchange between Kalin, former prime minister Joseph Muscat, his chief of staff Keith Schembri and Bonnici, had been uncovered by Caruana Galizia herself and parts of the text were read out to the witness in court on Monday.
Although the writings appeared to have resulted in “no reputational or financial loss for H & P in the UK,” yet they had decided to file proceedings in the UK since Malta was deemed as “cumbersome and politically problematic,” the email read.
Cardona said although he remembered one long email from Kalin, he did not recall whether he had been included in the whole exchange.
Asked by parte civile lawyer Therese Comodini Cachia whether he was aware that UK lawyers had advised against such a suit, since the element of prejudice could be hard to prove, Cardona replied, “No. It’s the first time I’m hearing this”.
A 'punch in the stomach'
Times of Malta editor-in-chief Herman Grech also took the witness stand, describing the impact of Caruana Galizia’s murder as a “punch in the stomach” and a “wake-up call” for journalists.
But there was also a “silver lining” because it united a group of journalists behind the fight for justice.
Asked about the relationship between journalists and government, Grech explained that it all depended on the individual, with some officials handling the media well while others treated journalists as enemies of the state.
Requests for information were met with endless delays and long-winded procedures dragging on to appeal stage, in apparent attempts for the story to be forgotten.
Over the past four years, neither prime minister Robert Abela nor his predecessor had accepted an interview with Times of Malta, Grech told the board.
He also spoke of how this time last year, he had been informed by someone “from government” to seek police protection for himself and those among his journalists who were working on the Caruana Galizia murder probe. He requested the police to provide some form of security – he received no reply – while another request made last June was acknowledged and said to be acted upon.
A couple of journalists from Times of Malta had been subjected to threats, character assassination and online trolls, sometimes even from individuals who should be fighting for the same cause.
Grech said he had also once been informed that instructions had been issued by from government quarters to stop all adverts at Times of Malta because stories appeared to be overly critical towards the administration.
The constant narrative of “fake news” fed to the public by politicians, was a major risk faced by the media today, since it sought to render journalists as “irrelevant.”
“Don’t believe them,” was the message conveyed.
The inquiry continues Wednesday.