Yorgen Fenech claimed Joseph Muscat warned him of murder middleman’s arrest
Former prime minister denied allegations when interviewed by police
Yorgen Fenech claimed under interrogation that he was warned of Melvin Theuma’s planned arrest by then-prime minister Joseph Muscat.
According to testimony by lead investigator Keith Arnaud, Fenech claimed the then prime minister asked him if he trusted Theuma, to which Fenech replied: “Of course not. He records me."
Arnaud tells the court that Fenech also claimed the prime minister told him: "Take care, he's going to be arrested." (Ħu ħsieb, dak ser jiġi arrestat).
Fenech is standing trial for the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, with Theuma, the self-confessed middleman, acting as the star witness in the case. Both men were arrested and interrogated by police in November 2019.
On Monday, Arnaud testified that investigators also examined messages exchanged between Fenech and the ex-prime minister.
The police investigator detailed the contents of one chat in which Fenech wrote: "I'll see you later, Prime Minister."
Muscat replied: "Yes, see you tomorrow at 1.30pm."
The following day, the conversation continued, with Muscat asking: "Did you enjoy it?"
Fenech replied that there had been many people around him and that he had felt shy.
Arnaud told the court that police questioned Muscat about Fenech's claims.
He said Muscat denied all the allegations, including that the two had met privately at Castille or that he had passed on information about the investigation.
Arnaud adds that investigators also examined Fenech's phone data after he claimed to have visited Castille twice, checking its location history as part of their inquiries.
Times of Malta reported in 2020 how Fenech had also claimed to investigators that Muscat asked him if Schembri featured in any of the secret recordings taken by Theuma.
The murder suspect claimed to investigators that he assured Muscat he was doing his best to protect Schembri.
Muscat vehemently denied any such meetings.
Fenech claims that Muscat discussed Theuma with him twice in early 2019, once at the former prime minister’s birthday bash at Girgenti and on another occasion when he was summoned to a meeting with Muscat and Schembri at Auberge de Castille.
The business magnate further claimed that Muscat warned him the police would be forced to carry out a raid on Theuma at some point, particularly due to mounting pressure from abroad.