Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has refused to give his take on the resignation of Justyne Caruana from the post of Gozo Minister, following reports that her husband, former deputy police chief Silvio Valletta, travelled to London with the man who is now accused with complicity in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The said trip took place when Muscat was head of government, in 2018, with Valletta saying that at the time he did not know that Fenech was under investigation for the murder.  Yorgen Fenech’s close ties to certain people at the Office of the Prime Minister under Muscat’s tenure were one of the main reasons for protests by civil society at the end of 2019. Muscat resigned after his office was linked to the murder.

The Malta Independent yesterday sent a number of questions to Joseph Muscat about the issue.

This newsroom asked Muscat if he was aware that Valletta was close to Yorgen Fenech, and if yes, when was he made aware of this. He was asked if he was aware that they travelled abroad together, and when he found out. He was also asked for his reaction when he found out that the two were close, and whether he knew that the two were close before the news of the holiday broke and why he was kept on as an investigator on the case for so long.

Mark Farrugia, who was Muscat’s Chief of Staff after Keith Schembri had resigned, responded on behalf of Muscat.  “Dr Muscat is not giving statements to the media.  One has to make it absolutely clear that as Prime Minister, Dr Muscat never intruded in any investigations.”