Police inspector Keith Arnaud was expected to continue testifying on Tuesday, in a case filed by Daphne Caruana Galizia murder accused Yorgen Fenech to have the lead investigator removed from the investigation.
Instead, the court heard from inspector Nicholas Vella and Ms Caruana Galizia's husband, Peter.
Inspector Vella told the court that two officers from the Economic Crimes Unit had been tasked with investigating internal leaks from the murder case. He said he did not know what stage their investigation had reached.
Peter Caruana Galizia told the court that he had a very good relationship with inspector Arnaud and had "nothing to complain about" when it came to him.
As it happened
Former police commissioner to be called back
9.39am State advocate Victoria Buttigieg tells the court she would like to summon “the former police commissioner” back for some further questioning.
We presume that’s Lawrence Cutajar, who told the court last month that inspectors Arnaud and Zahra were investigating leaks in the case. Today, inspector Nicholas Vella said that the leaks were being investigated by two other officers from an entirely different unit.
Regardless, there will not be any more testifying for at least another month, as the case has been adjourned to March 6.
When Arnaud arrested Daphne
9.33am Dr Caruana Curran wants to know about the time inspector Arnaud had shown up outside their house just before the 2013 election and arrested her.
[Daphne had written about that in detail].
“Yes, it was ironic that Arnaud was the officer who had called at our house to arrest her,” Dr Caruana Galizia says. “But we put it behind us”.
“Arnaud wasn’t tasked with that [police] district, right?” Dr Caruana Curran asks.
The judge swats that question down as irrelevant.
No further questions for the witness – Dr Caruana Galizia is free to go.
'I have nothing to complain about Arnaud'
9.31am Dr Caruana Galizia thinks back to October 16, 2017 – the day his wife was murdered.
He tells the court that as soon as he got to the bomb scene in Bidnija, he saw inspector Kurt Zahra and a short while later, inspector Arnaud. The two would go on to ask a lot of questions in the weeks to come, he says.
“We had a very good relationship,” he tells the court. “I have nothing to complain about Arnaud”.
Why is Dr Caruana Galizia testifying?
9.26am We do not know for sure, but we can speculate. Last month, inspector Arnaud had testified that he had met with the Caruana Galizia family last October and that Dr Caruana Galizia - Daphne's husband - had told him that he was happy he [Arnaud] was leading the case.
Witness arrives
9.23am Dr Caruana Galizia is in the courtroom. The hearing can resume.
Reminder that state advocate Victoria Buttigieg and lawyer Maurizio Cordina are assisting the respondents, while Gianluca Caruana Curran and Marion Camilleri are lawyers for Yorgen Fenech.
Where’s Peter Caruana Galizia?
9.19am There’s a slight hitch. It seems Dr Caruana Galizia can’t be found. His name is called out three times, but nobody rises. Another lawyer whips out his phone and tries to get through to him.
Judge Mintoff suspends the hearing for a couple of minutes.
Meanwhile, Yorgen Fenech sits on the side of the courtroom. He’s accompanied, as usual, by four armed police officers.
No further questions for Arnaud
9.16am Judge Mintoff tells the lawyers that he devoted today's sitting to a cross-examination of inspector Arnaud.
But Fenech's lawyers say they have no further questions for him.
That means we're on to the next witness - Peter Caruana Galizia.
Who investigated the leaks?
9.15am Inspector Vella is asked about the police leaks.
He tells the court that officers Yvonne Farrugia and Sean Friggieri were responsible for investigating the leaks.
“I know investigations are ongoing, but I don’t know at what stage they’re at,” he says.
He tells a court that there was a meeting with [Economic Crimes Unit chief] Ian Abdilla in 2019 about the leaks.
“Was that after Yorgen Fenech was arrested,” Fenech’s lawyer Gianluca Caruana Curran asks.
“I’m not sure,” inspector Vella replies.
Inspector Nicholas Vella testifies
9.10am We expected Inspector Arnaud to continue testifying, but instead, it's his colleague Nicholas Vella who takes the stand.
Inspector Vella works in the police force's anti-money laundering unit.
What happened last time round?
9.04am Yorgen Fenech filed this case to have inspector Keith Arnaud removed from the investigation. Fenech claims that Arnaud was passing information about the case to Keith Schembri, the man Fenech claims was the true murder mastermind.
Last month, a court heard from (then) police commissioner Lawrence Cutajar. He told a court that Arnaud and his fellow inspector Kurt Zahra were tasked with investigating alleged leaks concerning the case.
That prompted the judge to ask "Are you saying inspector Arnaud investigated himself?". Cutajar tried to wade back from his statement and said that in reality, inspector Zahra did most of the work.
When Arnaud himself took the stand, he told a court that the Economic Crimes Unit [led by Ian Abdilla] was responsible for investigating leaks.
Good morning
8.59am Hello and welcome to this live blog. We'll be bringing you minute-by-minute updates of events inside the courtroom, where Keith Arnaud and possibly two others will be testifying.