Police assistant commissioner Keith Arnaud is to continue testifying Saturday in the trial by jury of Yorgen Fenech.
Fenech, 44, has pleaded not guilty to two principal charges: complicity in the wilful homicide of Daphne Caruana Galizia and criminal association to commit the murder.
Arnaud, the lead investigator in the case, testified for a whole day on Friday, giving an account of the police investions that led to arrests after the journalist was killed in a car bomb on 16 October, 2017.
For over almost seven hours on Friday, Arnaud retraced the inquiry that prosecutors say led detectives from the smoking wreckage of the journalist's car to the man accused of commissioning her assassination, explaining how investigators pieced together thousands of mobile phone records, CCTV images and forensic findings before eventually identifying the alleged mastermind behind the plot. Crucial in the police investigation was Melvin Theuma, who was given a presidential pardon to speak about the plot.
Five men have already been convicted in connection with Caruana Galizia's assassination. Vince Muscat admitted his role in the murder in 2021 and was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment. Alfred and George Degiorgio each received 40-year prison sentences after pleading guilty in 2022, while Robert Agius and Jamie Vella were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2025 for supplying the bomb used in the attack.
The prosecution is being led by Attorney General lawyers Godwin Cini, Anthony Vella and Danika Vella, assisted by Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud and Inspector Kurt Zahra. Fenech is represented by lawyers Charles Mercieca, Gianella Demarco and Gianluca Caruana Curran, while lawyers Therese Comodini Cachia and Jason Azzopardi are appearing parte civile on behalf of the Caruana Galizia family.
Judge Edwina Grima is presiding over the case.
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18:04 That concludes today's sitting. The court has adjourned to Monday at 9am, with Arnaud to continue testifying.
18.02: Arnaud tells the court about the terms of the presidential pardon granted to Theuma on November 25, 2019. The conditions required Theuma to provide full details regarding his personal involvement, identify the mastermind, account for all financial transactions related to the murder, and disclose the identities of those who financed the crime or made payments to the accused. Arnaud stated that these requirements were intended to thoroughly investigate every aspect of the case. Furthermore, the pardon granted immunity for various crimes Theuma allegedly committed before that date, including money laundering and illegal betting, as well as providing information concerning the 2010 HSBC heist and the Casino di Venezia investigation.
17:52: Arnaud continues reading from evidence recovered during the investigation, detailing a voice recording between Theuma and Johann Cremona. He testifies that the conversation focused on police raids and included references to then-superintendent Ray Aquilina. According to Arnaud, both men spoke as if they were acquainted with Aquilina, suggesting that his involvement in the investigation might allow them to evade consequences.
17:41 The court is shown additional Signal messages between Theuma and Fenech from November 12, 2019, shortly before Theuma's arrest, in which Theuma expressed feeling "heartbroken." The following day, Fenech replied, "I can't forget something like this, my friend." Arnaud testifies that messages show Theuma pressing Fenech to ensure all mobile phones were "clean" to avoid detection. Theuma further urged Fenech to intervene with then-police commissioner Lawrence Cutajar to help him. During this period, Theuma frequently mentioned Keith Schembri and also inquired about influencing the magistrate regarding the Degiorgio brothers' bail, though those efforts failed.
17:30 The prosecution presents an extraction of Signal messages from Theuma's phone. Arnaud reads through an exchange in which Fenech assured Theuma by saying, "Serraħ rasek, se naslu" ("Don't worry, we'll get there"). Theuma responded by mentioning his family, saying: "If you involve my partner and kids, there will be trouble."
17:22 The jurors are shown the ice cream tub that Melvin Theuma was carrying at the time of his arrest. The lead investigator removed the contents one by one, each sealed in an evidence bag, and presented them to the jury. The items included several USB drives, which are playing a significant role in the proceedings.
17:08 The court is shown documents, including a screenshot of a February 2017 blog post by Daphne Caruana Galizia regarding 17 Black. Arnaud explained that the post became significant because Fenech was identified in a reader's comment below the article. Police examined a full archive of the blog and analyzed the timing of the post in relation to Theuma's testimony that Fenech feared the journalist had acquired sensitive information; investigators subsequently questioned Fenech about this during his interrogation.
16:59 Arnaud testifies Fenech told police that Dr Adrian Vella accompanied him to Gozo before his arrest at Keith Schembri's request. Fenech claimed that during the trip, Schembri called Vella, spoke to Fenech, and became emotional. However, Arnaud testified that investigators found no telephony data to support that the two men were together that weekend, nor did the records confirm their alleged meetings.
16:55: Arnaud testifies that a recording between Fenech and Theuma referenced Chris Cardona, specifically discussing rumors that police were focusing on the former minister and that a mobile phone retrieved from the sea had been used for communication between Cardona and Alfred Degiorgio. Arnaud confirmed that Theuma later admitted to making those comments, noting that Theuma felt relieved by the situation because he believed it directed the investigation's focus away from himself and onto Cardona.
16:35 A procedural point is raised and jurors have temporarily left the courtroom.
16:28 Arnaud tells the court that, according to Fenech's police statement, Keith Schembri once expressed a desire to "get rid of" Daphne Caruana Galizia. Fenech claimed that shortly after returning from a trip, he met Melvin Theuma at his Żebbuġ ranch, where Theuma mentioned an existing murder plot without identifying its originator. Arnaud noted that Fenech responded by saying he would "touch base" on the matter later, and added that the sum of €150,000 appeared once again in Fenech's account of these events.
16:22 Arnaud testifies that investigators noted striking similarities between the contents of the frame-up document and Fenech's subsequent police statement, specifically regarding mentioned sums of money. The document also alleged that in 2015, Keith Schembri told Fenech that then-minister Chris Cardona "wanted to get rid of" Daphne Caruana Galizia. Furthermore, Arnaud stated that according to Fenech, meetings at his farmhouse in October 2016 frequently focused on Caruana Galizia's blog, which often targeted Schembri, his health, and the Labour administration.
16:16 The prosecution questions Arnaud on the follow-up investigation into the claims regarding Chris Cardona, specifically the allegation that Alfred Degiorgio met him at a bar in Siġġiewi. Although police attempted to secure CCTV footage from the area, the recordings had been overwritten by the time they inquired four months later. Arnaud testified that despite their efforts, police found "not a single shred of proof" to support the claim that Cardona and Degiorgio had met prior to the arrests.
16:09 Keith Arnaud read aloud the infamous "frame-up" letter that Keith Schembri allegedly sent to Yorgen Fenech via Dr. Adrian Vella. The documents, which were displayed on courtroom screens, detail an attempt to implicate former economy minister Chris Cardona in the murder. Although Schembri has denied the allegations and said that he did not provide the letter to Vella, the prosecution presented the transcript as a key piece of evidence recovered during the investigation.
15:56 Arnaud testified that investigators linked three explosive devices based on their shared components. One device was used in the attempted murder of Romeo Bone, the second killed Daphne Caruana Galizia, and a third was involved in an attempted attack on Kevin Ellul, known as 'Double-0', in Għargħur. After analyzing the evidence retrieved from the three scenes, investigators concluded that the bombs displayed distinct, common characteristics.
15:54 During questioning regarding a recording that referenced former police commissioner Lawrence Cutajar, Theuma explained his motivations to investigators. He admitted that since Johann Cremona was a business partner of Fenech, Theuma felt compelled to fabricate his own connections to power. He specifically invoked Cutajar's name to impress Edgar Brincat, aiming to project the appearance that he also maintained influential relationships within the highest levels of the establishment.
15:50 Edgar Brincat advised Theuma to ensure that anyone he secretly recorded was identifiable. Brincat suggested that Theuma mention a person's name during conversations so that, when the other person replied, investigators could later confirm who was speaking. The witness says those recordings became increasingly important as the investigation progressed.
15:45 Arnaud tells the court that as Theuma became increasingly panicked, he confided in Edgar Brincat about his intention to go to the police. Brincat advised him against it, fearing that Theuma would end up in prison and become the one who "took the fall." The witness adds that Johann Cremona gave similar advice, warning Theuma that it was too risky.
15:41 The prosecution questions Arnaud regarding Edgar Brincat, known as il-Ġojja. Arnaud explains that Brincat was arrested on November 14, 2019, due to his close relationship with Theuma and suspicions from the Financial Crimes Investigation Department regarding his involvement in money laundering and illegal betting. Although investigators repeatedly informed Brincat that they believed he held significant information about Theuma and the murder case, Brincat exercised his right to remain silent and refused to answer any questions.
15:36 Arnaud takes the stand again. The prosecution questions him regarding Melvin Theuma's recordings. During Theuma's initial post-arrest interviews, investigators were aware of only a small number of recordings. The witness explains that during the early sittings of Fenech's compilation proceedings, Theuma approached him to reveal that many more recordings existed than what the police had previously possessed. Investigators subsequently focused their efforts on locating these additional audio files. Arnaud notes that the first recordings recovered were conversations between Theuma and Fenech, followed by others involving Johann Cremona and Mario Degiorgio.
15:15 Back in court. Sitting set to resume.
13:10 The court takes a break. Sitting will resume at 3pm.
13:08 Arnaud recounts that Fenech once gave Theuma €5,000, urging him to take his family on holiday to relax, as Theuma was in a severely fragile mental state. Theuma told investigators he even drafted a will after the Degiorgio brothers were arraigned, fearing he would be the next target if they chose to speak to police.
13:04 Arnaud testifies that the denial of bail to the Degiorgio brothers in May 2018 triggered intense panic for Melvin Theuma, prompting him to start recording conversations and drafting his "betrayal" letter. Arnaud emphasizes that Theuma's anxiety stemmed more from the ongoing detention of the brothers than the murder itself. He also clarifies that despite Yorgen Fenech's claims regarding Keith Schembri's involvement, it was consistently Fenech who provided the funds passed to the Degiorgio brothers.
12:51 Investigators discovered a copy of a draft presidential pardon agreement intended for Melvin Theuma on Yorgen Fenech's mobile phone. Fenech claimed that Keith Schembri had sent it to him. Arnaud stated, however, that police found no messages on the phone to substantiate Fenech's claim.
12:48 Arnaud testifies that investigators received information regarding an alleged plot for OPM security official Kenneth Camilleri to shoot Melvin Theuma. When questioned, Camilleri laughed off the accusation, claiming he was merely sent to calm Theuma down, whom he viewed as a "politically distressed individual," and categorically denied any plan to kill him. Arnaud adds that Keith Schembri was also questioned about this allegation and similarly denied any such murder plot.
12:46 Although Melvin Theuma never implicated Keith Schembri in the murder, investigators still questioned Schembri about it. Arnaud testifies that Schembri insisted it was in his interest as chief of staff for the case to be resolved, noting he had assisted the foreign investigation team and denied leaking information to Fenech. Additionally, Arnaud states that police interrogated Schembri concerning potential plans involving the murder of Theuma.
12:43 Arnaud testifies that on November 20, 2019, Fenech boarded the boat intended for his escape. Investigations revealed his brother planned to meet him in Italy to continue their journey to France by car, with other discussions focused on buying time for Fenech. Regarding Keith Schembri, Arnaud notes that during questioning, Schembri claimed he urged Fenech to stay in Malta to avoid a negative reflection on the government.
12:40 Following media reports on November 19 regarding a potential presidential pardon, investigators found that Yorgen Fenech began plotting an escape, Arnaud says. Fenech researched flights to France and discussed travel routes with his brother, including a plan to take a boat to Italy before continuing overland by car. Fenech insisted that the boat captain take no crew on board to ensure secrecy, and his uncle advised him to use cash rather than credit cards to avoid being traced. Arnaud stated that police interpreted these activities as a clear attempt to flee the country.
12:37 Arnaud returns to the timeline of events between November 19 and 20, 2019, telling the court that the first media reports during that crucial period appeared on November 17. He refers to a Times of Malta article published that Sunday, which included a comment by then-prime minister Joseph Muscat about the Caruana Galizia murder investigation. Arnaud says it was the first time information about the investigation surfaced publicly during that phase of the inquiry.
12:35 Arnaud tells the court that, according to the investigation, Fenech went to his farmhouse in Gozo, where plans were discussed for him to leave Malta. Arnaud says Fenech's brother was also present. As he mentions this, Arnaud briefly apologises, apparently responding to a remark from the direction of the defence table. "I'm sorry, but he was there," the witness says. Fenech's brother died last May.
12:32 Dr Adrian Vella described seeing Fenech during the weekend before his arrest, at a time when Melvin Theuma had just been arrested. According to Arnaud, Vella noticed that Fenech appeared upset and suggested he take a break by spending time at his farmhouse in Gozo.
12:28 Arnaud tells the court that Keith Schembri explained he had urged Yorgen Fenech not to leave Malta following Theuma's presidential pardon. Schembri told investigators it would have been "shameful" if Fenech had fled the country in those circumstances and said he had tried to convince him to remain. The witness says investigators also questioned Schembri about possible leaks from the murder investigation. Arnaud tells the court that those allegations became the subject of a separate inquiry.
12:23 Police took three statements from Keith Schembri. Investigators addressed the five-page document that Dr. Adrian Vella claimed to have collected from Schembri and delivered to Yorgen Fenech. According to Arnaud, Schembri repeatedly denied any knowledge of the document, despite Vella's account that he had received it from him. The witness notes that investigators had also established that Schembri and Fenech were in contact during that period. Arnaud adds that Schembri told police he had been instructed to ensure that Fenech did not leave Malta.
12:18 Arnaud tells the court that Dr Adrian Vella, assisted by a lawyer, was questioned regarding the five-page document. Vella maintained that he had delivered the document to Yorgen Fenech but remained unaware of its contents. The witness states that investigators attempted to compare the document's typeface with other material but were unable to conduct a meaningful analysis due to insufficient data. Arnaud informs the court that analyses did not identify any fingerprints or DNA belonging to Keith Schembri on the document.
12:19 Arnaud tells the court that police seized several electronic devices during the searches. Investigators also sent officers to examine CCTV cameras at Schembri's property to establish whether Dr Adrian Vella had visited the residence. Arnaud says that on November 26, Fenech was granted police bail at around 11am. By then, investigators had shifted their focus to Keith Schembri and Adrian Vella.
12:16 Investigators searched through more than 150,000 images extracted from Yorgen Fenech's mobile phone in pursuit of a screenshot of a specific chat. Arnaud states that while the screenshot itself was not found, they discovered a thumbnail image that appeared to depict the conversation they were seeking. This prompted police to proceed with the arrest of Keith Schembri. Arnaud explains that he and fellow investigator Kurt Zahra drove to Mellieħa at around 6am to carry out the arrest.
12:12 Dr Adrian Vella insisted he never passed the second, two-page document on to Fenech. Arnaud says investigators examined the contents of both documents before deciding they needed to take the inquiry a step further. Police then considered whether there were sufficient grounds to arrest then OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri and to establish whether there was reasonable suspicion he had committed an offence. Arnaud says police therefore searched data extracted from Fenech's mobile phone, looking for a specific conversation after receiving information that Schembri may have been in contact with Fenech on the night of his arrest.
12:05 Dr Adrian Vella stated that he never examined the contents of the documents he collected from Keith Schembri. According to Arnaud, Vella folded the bundle and placed it in his inside jacket pocket before driving from Mellieħa to Portomaso. Upon arrival, Vella met Yorgen Fenech and his lawyer, Gianluca Caruana Curran, and handed over the papers. Arnaud notes that Vella told investigators he observed Fenech scribble something on the documents before discarding them.
12:06 Dr Adrian Vella explained to investigators that on Sunday, November 24, while Yorgen Fenech was on police bail, Fenech called him and asked him to retrieve a document from Keith Schembri. Arnaud notes that Schembri had also contacted Vella. The witness reports that Vella told police it was not unusual for him to visit Schembri. While there, according to Arnaud, Schembri handed Vella a bundle of documents, which the doctor subsequently took away.
12:02 Arnaud states that police arrested Dr Adrian Vella at approximately midnight. The decision was complex due to legal considerations; although investigators initially attempted to contact the doctor and request his voluntary attendance at the police depot, they were unsuccessful. It was established that Vella had visited Fenech twice while the latter was in custody. Meanwhile, a separate team continued to analyse the data extracted from Fenech's mobile phone, a process that eventually led to the arrest of Keith Schembri.
11:54 Resuming his testimony, Arnaud tells the court that after Theuma was granted a presidential pardon, investigators continued questioning Fenech while also moving to arrest Dr Adrian Vella. At the same time, police focused their efforts on data extracted from Fenech's mobile phone. Arnaud explains that while technical difficulties initially limited them to a partial extraction, police still managed to recover a substantial amount of information. He describes it as a "very large dataset" that became an important component of the investigation.
11.31: The court will now take a 15-minute break
11.28 Arnaud informs the court that two documents, provided to investigators by Yorgen Fenech's lawyer during an interview on November 24, triggered the police decision to arrest Dr. Adrian Vella. According to Arnaud, the first document consisted of five pages, while the second was two pages long. After reviewing their contents, investigators determined that an arrest was necessary.
11:24 Theuma was granted a presidential pardon on November 25, while the investigation continued to gather pace, Arnaud says. That afternoon, Fenech asked to consult his lawyers before investigators resumed questioning him at around 8pm. The interview lasted about an hour and a half, during which Fenech added to the two statements he had already given police. Arnaud then turns to the arrest of Dr Adrian Vella, telling the court that officers went to his home in Qawra at around 10:30pm.
11:20 Fenech was re-arrested on November 24. Arnaud states that investigators resumed questioning Fenech at 5:15pm while continuing to interview Theuma. By that point, police had questioned Fenech twice and interviewed Theuma six times. After analyzing Theuma's various statements, the handwritten letter, the recordings, and other evidence, alongside interviews with witnesses, Arnaud explains that he and fellow investigator Kurt Zahra concluded they were in a position to recommend that Theuma be granted a presidential pardon.
11:17 While under police watch, Fenech remained in contact with his legal team at his home. On November 23, following consultations with his lawyers, Fenech requested an examination by Dr Adrian Vella, who also treated Keith Schembri. Arnaud states that Dr Vella examined Fenech and referred him to Mater Dei Hospital, where he was escorted by police. At approximately 2:50pm, doctors informed investigators that due to the medication administered to him, Fenech would be unfit for questioning for the next 24 hours. Consequently, police postponed his interrogation and granted him a second period of police bail.
11:14 Arnaud spoke to Fenech later that day at the police commissioner's office in the presence of his lawyer. As investigators approached the 48-hour limit for legal police custody, they reached an agreement with Fenech's lawyer to release him under an unusual arrangement that placed him under continuous police watch at his home, with which Fenech cooperated.
11:10: Arnaud tells the court that the day after Fenech was taken to the police lock-up, his lawyer met with him in the consultation room. Police disclosed the circumstances that had led to Fenech's arrest, as required by law, and presented the evidence they were relying on. This process included playing the voice recordings recovered during the investigation, which Fenech and his lawyer listened to during the meeting.
11:07 Arnaud states that he met with Fenech twice while the latter was being held in the police lock-up. Arnaud recalls telling him, "It will be a long process. There's a bit of trouble, but if you want to help yourself, now's your chance." He explains that this is a routine approach used by investigators to encourage suspects to cooperate and provide their own version of events.
11:03 The prosecution asks Arnaud what Fenech said regarding Keith Schembri in the recordings recovered by investigators. Arnaud replies that Fenech claimed Schembri "froze" when he was informed about the murder. Arnaud reiterates that Theuma consistently maintained he knew of only one mastermind behind the assassination, which was Yorgen Fenech.
11:00 Arnaud tells the court that Theuma consistently maintained there was only one mastermind behind the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, and that individual was Yorgen Fenech. The witness states that investigators estimated approximately €450,000 was passed from Fenech to Theuma for the benefit of the Degiorgio brothers, intended to cover their legal fees and other expenses following their arrest. Arnaud also notes that the recordings reviewed by investigators at that time consisted primarily of conversations between Theuma and Fenech. He describes these as capturing a panicked Theuma seeking reassurance, while Fenech repeatedly attempted to calm him down, including by informing him that he had spoken with Keith Schembri.
10:57 Theuma also explained why he had compiled excerpts from recordings onto a USB stick, insisting they were intended as a form of insurance. The witness says Theuma told police he wanted Fenech to know that if anyone tried to blackmail or eliminate him, others would still get into trouble because he had preserved evidence. Theuma insisted his references to Keith Schembri in the recordings related to events that unfolded after the murder investigation gathered pace, and not to the planning or execution of the assassination.
10:55 Arnaud tells the court he confronted Theuma with the handwritten note. Theuma explained he wrote the note because he feared he would be "eliminated." Investigators focused on the passage in which Theuma claimed that "the same two people" were trying to get rid of him. Arnaud states he challenged Theuma, pointing out that the wording suggested there were two masterminds behind the murder. However, Arnaud says, Theuma insisted he had met Keith Schembri only once or twice and had never discussed the murder with him, maintaining that his references to Schembri related instead to the phantom government job.
10:52 Arnaud reads the contents of the handwritten note found during the search of Fenech's Portomaso offices. The note begins: "I, Melvin Theuma, am giving this information that I was the middleman in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder." Arnaud explains that the text states Theuma decided to come forward because he believed two individuals - Yorgen Fenech and Keith Schembri, the latter referred to as "il-Kasco"- were attempting to eliminate him. The note further mentions that Theuma had collected evidence so that if he were harmed, "people will know the story." According to Arnaud, the document also references the government job Theuma claimed to have received through Schembri, stating that he was later discarded once he had "served his purpose," and confirms that a copy of his employment contract was included with the note.
10:49 Arnaud informs the court that police had only interviewed Melvin Theuma once when they received intelligence that Fenech was preparing to leave Malta by boat. Fearing that the suspect was attempting to flee, investigators decided to intervene and arrest him immediately. Following the arrest, police searched both the vessel and Fenech's offices in Portomaso, where they recovered a handwritten note.
10:45 The prosecution interrupts the testimony to clarify the circumstances of Fenech's arrest. Arnaud confirms that Fenech was arrested on the morning of November 20, 2019, and notes that he personally conducted three interview sessions with Theuma that same day. Although he was not directly involved in the arrest or the subsequent searches at Fenech's Portomaso offices, Arnaud explains that the police had not originally planned to arrest Fenech at that time, stating, "We were still trying to understand the story."
10:41 Arnaud tells the court that Theuma was arrested on November 14, at a time when no details regarding the investigation had yet been reported in the media. He points out that media coverage began on November 17, after which then Prime Minister Joseph Muscat made what Arnaud describes as an indirect public comment on the case. Two days later, news emerged that an individual had been granted a presidential pardon. Arnaud says that once Fenech's alleged involvement became public, the businessman attempted to flee Malta by boat from Portomaso before he was intercepted and arrested.
10:38 Arnaud tells the court that Theuma became convinced that news of Vince Muscat speaking to police was part of a plan by Yorgen Fenech and Keith Schembri to betray him. The witness adds that Theuma consistently maintained he had met Schembri only twice and had never discussed the murder with him. According to Theuma, the first meeting occurred at a ranch in Żebbuġ, while the second took place at Castille, where Fenech had sent him regarding the phantom government job.
10:36 When asked by the prosecution why Theuma believed Kenneth Camilleri had been sent by Keith Schembri, Arnaud replies that Schembri's name came up repeatedly in Theuma's recordings, often in connection with Camilleri. He stresses that Schembri is not implicated in the murder. According to Arnaud, another recurring theme in the recordings was Theuma's fear that he had been "betrayed," a word that surfaced frequently as his anxiety grew.
10:33 Theuma became increasingly unnerved upon learning that Vince Muscat intended to cooperate with police. The witness states that Kenneth Camilleri later informed investigators he had never been told that Theuma's concerns were related to the Caruana Galizia murder. According to Arnaud, Camilleri claimed he had been asked by Keith Schembri to calm Theuma down, but he had assumed the issue was political rather than criminal. Arnaud adds that Camilleri told police it was Theuma who repeatedly insisted that someone should ensure the Degiorgio brothers were granted bail.
10:27 Arnaud tells the court that the second phase of the investigation introduced several new figures, including Johann Cremona, Edgar Brincat, and Kenneth Camilleri. Investigators believed these individuals each played different roles in reassuring and calming Theuma as his anxiety grew. Proceedings are then interrupted after defence lawyer Charles Mercieca raises a legal objection. The jurors are asked to leave the courtroom while the point is argued before the judge, and Arnaud also steps out of the witness box pending the court's ruling. Within minutes, the proceedings resume and they are back in.
10:19 When asked to explain when Kenneth Camilleri allegedly made promises to him, Arnaud tells the court the investigation is divided into two distinct phases. The first covers the period before the murder, including the planning of the assassination and the associated payments. The second phase began once the police investigation gathered momentum; Arnaud explains that it was during this time that Theuma became increasingly anxious as investigators closed in, prompting many of the events and conversations the court is being informed about.
10:16 Arnaud tells the court that Melvin Theuma said he had kept a photograph of himself with Keith Schembri inside the box he handed to investigators. Theuma said the photo was taken on the day he was given the phantom government job and told police, "I wanted to blackmail him." Arnaud adds that investigators also interviewed Kenneth Camilleri and Johann Cremona as part of their efforts to piece together Theuma's account, noting that Fenech's name had never surfaced publicly in connection with the murder investigation until Theuma's arrest.
10:15Arnaud tells the court that Theuma expressed remorse for the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia and indicated a desire to apologize to her family. Theuma also revealed that he had at one stage considered approaching the police to confess everything. The witness explains that Theuma felt under mounting pressure from the Degiorgio brothers for money while struggling to reach Fenech, who was frequently abroad. Arnaud notes that parts of Theuma's account were subsequently confirmed by statements Fenech himself gave to the police.
10:13 Investigators recovered numerous recordings of conversations between Theuma and Johann Cremona. Arnaud describes Theuma calling Cremona in the middle of the night in a state of panic and deep distress, with Cremona acting as a source of emotional support. Arnaud adds that Theuma did, in fact, attempt to take his own life during this period.
10:11 Arnaud tells the court that Theuma was aware of the contact between Yorgen Fenech and then-OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri. Theuma was in such a fragile psychological state that he contemplated suicide, a detail corroborated by Johann Cremona, who rented a garage from Theuma and had insight into his deteriorating mental state, Arnaud says.
10:09 Theuma was regularly paying between €2,000 and €3,000 weekly to the Degiorgio brothers to cover their legal and living expenses. Arnaud explains that Mario Degiorgio would solicit these funds from Theuma, who would then secure the cash from Yorgen Fenech before passing it to Mario, Arnaud testifies. As Mario became increasingly frustrated by the brothers' repeated bail denials, Theuma grew anxious; he began secretly recording conversations with Fenech.
10:07 Arnaud testifies that following a court sitting where the Degiorgio brothers sought bail, Melvin Theuma had been approached by Kenneth Camilleri, an OPM security official, and Johann Cremona. The two told Theuma not to worry because the brothers would be granted bail, a claim Theuma relayed to the Degiorgios. Bail, however, was ultimately denied.
10:02 Arnaud tells the court that investigators concluded it was Yorgen Fenech who informed Melvin Theuma that hitman Vince Muscat was speaking to the police. According to Arnaud, Theuma then passed this information to Mario Degiorgio, who in turn relayed it to his brothers in prison. The witness explains that this sequence of events is why Vince Muscat's lawyer, Arthur Azzopardi, later contacted investigators to report that the Degiorgio brothers had discovered Muscat was cooperating with the police.
10:01 Arnaud tells the court that Melvin Theuma's account was repeatedly corroborated by other evidence collected throughout the investigation. He explains that key elements of Theuma's version aligned with Vince Muscat's testimony, forensic evidence, and information previously uncovered by the police. Arnaud adds that even the tip-offs Theuma claimed to have received regarding the progress of the investigation proved to be accurate, which further strengthened the investigators' confidence in the credibility of his evidence.
09.57 The investigation accelerated in mid-November 2019, around the time of the initial meeting at Castille. Arnaud states that Theuma informed investigators that, just before the Degiorgio brothers were arrested, Yorgen Fenech had instructed him to tip them off about the impending police raids. Arnaud explains that this detail provided insight into why one of the Degiorgio brothers was not in possession of his personal mobile phone at the time of his arrest. The witness adds that Theuma had functioned as a messenger between Fenech and the Degiorgios, relaying instructions without ever disclosing who had actually commissioned the murder.
09:53 Arnaud highlights a specific chat message between Melvin Theuma and Yorgen Fenech that referenced police suspicions that the bomb had been assembled in Żebbuġ. Arnaud notes that at the time, Żebbuġ was already a primary focus for investigators, who had searched the area believing it to be under the control of the Ta' Maksar brothers. Because this information had not been made public, Arnaud explains that it reinforced the investigators' confidence in the credibility of Theuma's testimony and his direct, first-hand knowledge of the murder plot.
09:52 According to Theuma's account, he believed the matter was finished once the murder was executed and the payment was delivered. Arnaud recounts that, in Theuma's view, "the mission was complete, the money had been handed over and everyone was happy." However, this sense of security dissolved when Theuma realised that the police were closing in on the individuals involved. Arnaud notes that this shift in demeanour confirmed the investigators' belief that Theuma was aware the police investigation was gaining ground.
09:50 Lead investigator Keith Arnaud takes the stand and continues his testimony. Arnaud informs the court that police conducted six interviews with middleman Melvin Theuma between November 19 and 22, 2019, following his arrest. He explains that the investigative strategy was to allow Theuma to speak freely about everything he knew concerning the murder plot. During these sessions, Theuma described handing a bag of cash to Alfred Degiorgio at his apartment in Marsaskala, with Arnaud noting that, according to Theuma's account, "everything was sorted" at that point regarding the payment.
09:45 The jurors enter the countroom
09:17 Judge Edwina Grima has entered the courtroom. Procedural issues are being discussed before the jurors are brought into the hall. The debate is at times animated.
09:15 While we wait, here are the biggest takeaways from yesterday's evidence:
"I need to kill Daphne.": Jurors heard that Melvin Theuma claimed to police that Yorgen Fenech told him he wanted Daphne Caruana Galizia dead because she "knew something" about his uncle. Theuma later concluded that was a red herring after Fenech allegedly admitted the journalist was actually about to publish information about him.
The murder plot was allegedly put on ice: According to Theuma's account, the plan was shelved when the 2017 election was called, only to be dusted off after Labour's victory, when Fenech allegedly handed over an envelope containing €150,000.
The 'ice cream tub' changed everything: Police deliberately held off arresting Theuma until they had built a parallel money laundering case. When they finally moved in, he was carrying a plastic tub crammed with phones, recordings, documents and photographs that investigators say blew the investigation wide open.
A suspected leak rattled investigators: Arnaud said police feared someone had tipped off the suspects after the Degiorgio brothers allegedly found out Vince Muscat had started cooperating with investigators just a day after a meeting at Castille.
How detectives joined the dots: Arnaud also explained how burner phones, CCTV footage, telecommunications data and the movements of George Degiorgio's boat, Maya, allowed investigators to track down the alleged hitmen first before closing in on the alleged mastermind.
09:00 The fourth day of the trial is expected to start shortly.