Maltese prosecutors have charged
businessman Yorgen Fenech with complicity in the murder of investigative
journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017.
Yorgen Fenech, one of Malta’s
wealthiest men, pleaded not guilty to that charge and four others including
membership of a criminal gang.
Relatives of Daphne Caruana Galizia
were present in the court in Valletta.
The investigation into the blogger’s
death has rocked the Maltese government. PM Joseph Muscat is under pressure to
resign.
The prime minister’s chief aide,
Keith Schembri, resigned this week amid reports he was being questioned by
police, while Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi also quit and Economy Minister
Chris Cardona took the decision to suspend himself.
Three people are awaiting trial for
the journalist’s murder in a car bombing but the police investigation is now
focusing on who ordered the killing and why.
Yorgen Fenech has been repeatedly questioned over the killing since trying
to leave the island on his yacht on November 20, and sought a pardon in return
for providing information but his request was rejected.
According to Maltese media, Yorgen Fenech was familiar with Melvin Theuma, a
taxi driver with links to criminal enterprises who has been described in local
media as a potential “middleman” in the murder.
The businessman is a well-known figure in Malta who has served as head of
the Tumas business group and a director of energy company Electrogas but recently
resigned from both positions.
Yorgen Fenech was identified last year as being the owner of a mysterious
Dubai-registered company, 17 Black.
17 Black was listed in the Panama Papers – confidential documents leaked
from a Panamanian law firm in 2016 which revealed how the wealthy and powerful
use tax havens to get around the law.
Daphne Caruana Galizia had written about 17 Black eight months before her death, alleging it had links to both Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi.
Daphne Caruana Galizia, a prominent Maltese blogger, who had accused the island’s government of corruption, has died in a car bomb attack, according to police.
The 53-year-old was reportedly killed when the car she was driving exploded shortly after she left her home in Bidnija, near Mosta.
According to local media, one of her sons heard the blast and rushed outside.
PM Joseph Muscat, whom Daphne Caruana Galizia accused of wrongdoing earlier this year, denounced the killing.
“I condemn without reservations this barbaric attack on a person and on the freedom of expression in our country,” the prime minister said in a TV statement.
“Everyone knows Ms Caruana Galizia was a harsh critic of mine, both politically and personally, as she was for others too.”
However, Joseph Muscat stressed there could be “no justification… in any way” for such action.
“I will not rest before justice is done.”
On October 16, thousands of people attended a candlelit vigil in the resort town of Sliema.
Malta Television reported that Daphne Caruana Galizia had filed a complaint to the police two weeks ago to say she had received threats but gave no further information.
Police have opened a murder inquiry.
Newspaper reports said the explosion had left debris from the rental car she was driving strewn across the road and in a nearby field.
Daphne Caruana Galizia’s death comes four months after Joseph Muscat’s Labor Party won an election he called early because of the blogger’s allegations linking him and his wife to the Panama Papers scandal.
The couple denied claims that they had used secret offshore bank accounts to hide payments from Azerbaijan’s ruling family.
Daphne Caruana Galizia’s popular blog had also targeted opposition politicians, calling the country’s political situation “desperate” in her final post.
Malta has asked for international help – including the FBI in the US – to find the perpetrator, the spokeswoman said.
Meanwhile, Daphne Caruana Galizia’s family has requested that the magistrate in charge of the investigation be replaced, the Malta Independent reports.
It said the current magistrate had on a number of occasions been the subject of criticism by Daphne Caruana Galizia.
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