Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on Friday denied having had two telephone calls with Daphne Caruana Galizia murder suspect Yorgen Fenech some months ago and said he reported an attempt to blackmail him to the police.

Through a government statement, the Prime Minister said that on Thursday he reported to the police he had received a message saying that unless he advised in favour of a presidential pardon, testimony would be given by Mr Fenech implicating he had two telephone calls with him some months ago.

“No such calls were ever made. This can easily be verified. The Prime Minister already said he met Yorgen Fenech at either social events or at meetings in his role as shareholder of one of the country’s biggest group of companies. The last such encounter was in February 2019,” the statement said.

Dr Muscat refused an initial request for pardon by Yorgen Fenech following advice by the Attorney General and the Police Commissioner. Cabinet refused a second request under similar advice after the Prime Minister withdrew from the meeting. 

The government said the Prime Minister was not aware of any testimony given yet but repudiated claims made in the fourth version of testimony after the said pardon was not given for the second time.