Justyne Caruana was brought back to the Cabinet and granted the education portfolio because “she’s capable and she deserves it”, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Wednesday. 

Abela was taking questions following a press conference on Wednesday morning.

Caruana resigned in January after it was revealed that her husband, former Deputy Police Commissioner Silvio Valletta, had a close friendship with Daphne Caruana Galizia murder suspect Yorgen Fenech.

The prime minister said on Wednesday that it was “crystal clear” that Caruana was not involved.

“Over the past months it’s been made clear to me, I’m not going to comment about the allegations made against her husband, but she was not involved in anything.” 

Abela said he was subsequently informed that Caruana and Valletta had separated following her resignation in January and therefore he found “no difficulty” in reinstating her as a minister.

Caruana maintained when the revelations were made that she was “totally extraneous" to what had been reported and she had "no connection to the facts".