Handwritten letter from Melvin Theuma brought Keith Schembri into the investigation of Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder
A handwritten letter from Melvin Theuma, the middleman in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, played an important role in bringing Keith Schembri, former chief of the Prime Minister's office, into the investigation.
Handwritten letter from Melvin Theuma brought Keith Schembri into the investigation of Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder
A handwritten letter from Melvin Theuma, the middleman in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, played an important role in bringing Keith Schembri, former chief of the Prime Minister's office, into the investigation.
This letter was mentioned in court when lead investigator Keith Arnaud continued his testimony in the trial against Yorgen Fenech. In the document, which investigators found during searches related to Fenech in November 2019, Theuma said he was afraid for his life and alleged that both Fenech and Schembri were trying to silence him.
"I am putting forward this evidence so you will know who paid for and financed the bomb," Theuma wrote in the letter. "I am doing this because I realised that these two people, Yorgen Fenech and Keith Schembri, were working together to eliminate me as well."
Despite these allegations, Arnaud said Schembri was not initially considered a suspect in the murder investigation and had even attended sensitive meetings in Castille whilst the investigation was ongoing.
The court also heard that investigators later found an "ice cream tub" that Theuma had kept, which contained recordings, mobile phones, photographs and documents related to the case, including a photograph showing Theuma together with Schembri at Castille.
However, Arnaud testified that when questioned, Theuma said he had no direct knowledge of Schembri's participation in the murder plan, and explained that he believed Schembri "was involved" because of his close relationship with Fenech and he feared that the two people wanted to eliminate him.
Schembri was later arrested and interrogated in connection with the investigation but was released without being charged in relation to the murder. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
He is, however, facing separate criminal proceedings over allegations of leaking confidential information from the murder investigation and breach of the Official Secrets Act, allegations he also denies.
Yorgen Fenech is facing trial accused of complicity in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia and criminal association to commit murder. He pleaded not guilty.
Source: Lovin Malta
Source: Lovin Malta