Disgraced former OPM Chief of Staff Keith Schembri has withdrawn two pending libel cases against the heirs of slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, while other pending libel lawsuits filed against her by the Prime Minister have been put off to March in view of the present situation.

The Schembri libels, which lawyer Edward Gatt said were related to blog posts on Egrant in 2017, were withdrawn by means of a note filed on December 6. Magistrate Victor Axiaq, having seen the note, announced that he would not be taking further cognisance of the case as it was being withdrawn.

Other libel suits, filed by Muscat against Caruana Galizia, her son Matthew, Karl Gouder and Mario Frendo were delayed this morning. “In view of the present circumstances,” said Gatt, “it would be better to put off the evidence to a later date.”

They were put off till 9 March next year, with the court making it clear that in the next sitting the plaintiffs are to close their evidence.