On the third of May the United Nations celebrated World Press Freedom Day.  That same week Malta witnessed gruesome testimony in court describing how Daphne Caruana Galizia was barbarically murdered. Forensic experts described details so horrific, so stomach churning that they do not bear repeating.

Meanwhile Robert Abela was busy dismissing the shocking revelations about the findings of the magisterial inquiry on Electrogas, the very scandal that Daphne Caruana Galizia was systematically exposing when she was brutally assassinated. Caruana Galizia paid with her life for exposing the corruption linked to that Electrogas project.  She was the one who exposed 17 Black and the Panama companies of Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi.

The Times of Malta revealed the findings of that damning magisterial inquiry.  Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi conspired to profit from the Electrogas project and to hide their illicit gains through money laundering structures in Panama and the UAE.  Financial experts concluded that Joseph Muscat's €450 million contract to build and operate the power station was "most likely" awarded to the Electrogas consortium to generate funds for their corrupt scheme.  Socar, the Azerbaijani partner, passed money intended for Schembri and Mizzi through a complex money laundering machine.  Money from the operation ended up in 17 Black's accounts and from there was meant to be funnelled to Konrad Mizzi's and Keith Schembri's secret companies in Panama.

But Robert Abela wasn't shocked.  In fact he couldn't be less bothered.  "...what I read in the report this morning by the Times is a story that has been recycled I don't know how many times," he commented flippantly.  "It's painted like a new story but in fact it is a very old one," he mocked.

Daphne Caruana Galizia paid the ultimate price to expose that "recycled story". She was blown to pieces for exposing corruption and for bringing that information to us.

She faced intimidation, harassment and a relentless campaign of vilification by Labour's powerful media machine and its army of trolls led by former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who called her the "real opposition", and his loyal sidekick Glenn Bedingfield  who uploaded photos of her car with the number plate clearly visible on his blog.

The insults, vitriol and attacks didn't stop with her barbaric murder. Labour is still at it through its proxies, like Neville Gafa who's made it his life's mission to continue the despicable demonisation of the journalist by placing placards on her memorial accusing her of tax evasion, a hit and run, domestic violence, evading tax and, irony of ironies,  of being a "hate blogger".

And now Robert Abela adds to that effort to discredit her by dismissing the revelations about the alleged corruption involving Yorgen Fenech, Keith Schembri, Konrad Mizzi and Paul Apap Bologna at Electrogas.  That magisterial inquiry was only possible because of the work of Daphne Caruana Galizia. Those revelations only came to light because of her work.  Robert Abela belittles the enormity of the achievement Caruana Galizia who single handedly, and despite Labour's intimidation and harassment, managed to expose Labour's colossal scandals - from Electrogas to Vitals, from Pilatus to Steward.

Robert Abela has done everything in his power to discredit Caruana Galizia.  Almost four years after the publication of the Caruana Galizia inquiry report, Abela obstinately refuses to implement any of the recommendations of that inquiry.  He's now rubbishing and diminishing the magnitude of that alleged criminal scheme intended to siphon millions of euro of taxpayers' money into the secret Panama companies of Labour's star candidate and Joseph Muscat's chief of staff. For Robert Abela it's just a "recycled story", it's nothing new, just old hat. 

On World Press Freedom day, a new film called "Words of War" was released in the US. It is the tragic story of Anna Politkovskaya , another truth seeker who was brutally assassinated in the lobby of her apartment block in Moscow.  She too like Daphne Caruana Galizia was a blazing beacon of the truth in a time and place where speaking the truth was tragically dangerous.  Politkovskaya faced numerous threats to her life, constant harassment and intimidation, violence and even poisoning. Yet despite the danger, she persisted with her work of uncovering Putin's corruption. And for that she was shot dead.

Only those who have too much to hide rub their hands in glee when journalists are subjected to threats, intimidation or even murder. Only those with skeletons in their closet take every opportunity to insult the memory of those who exposed the truth.  Only those who fear the truth seek to disparage and belittle the courageous work of those journalists.

Anna Politkovskaya and Daphne Caruana Galizia weren't thrill seekers.  They didn't seek fame or power.  They were no drama queens. They were brave souls driven by the staunch belief that truth matters. They harboured a visceral disdain for lies, deception and corruption.

Those who have nothing to hide and who aren't threatened by the truth are eternally grateful to those journalists for exposing injustice, for holding power to account and for shining a light into the country's darkest corners.  Even from beyond the grave, that light is still shining into those dark recesses.  Without them abuse and corruption would remain unchecked and unknown.

Even after her death Daphne Caruana Galizia is still striking fear into the hearts of those who engineered the most despicable corrupt schemes. She still strikes fear into those who cry "heinous lies" but who know in their heart that she was right.