Former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri repeatedly denied any involvement in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia and rejected testimony from several prosecution witnesses during an often tense morning of cross-examination in the trial by jury of Yorgen Fenech on Wednesday.
The cross-examination started Thursday after, on Wednesday, in his most consequential admission so far, the former OPM chief of staff told jurors that Yorgen Fenech had privately hinted at being involved in Daphne Caruana Galizia's assassination.
Although insisting Fenech never explicitly confessed, Schembri said his long-time friend gave him the impression he had been involved, leaving him "frozen". Schembri admitted his "one mistake" was not immediately informing then-prime minister Joseph Muscat, but maintained he still does not believe Fenech acted alone.
Yorgen Fenech, a businessman, has pleaded not guilty to two principal charges: complicity in the wilful homicide of Daphne Caruana Galizia and criminal association to commit the murder.
Caruana Galizia, a columnist with The Malta Independent, was killed in a car bomb on 16 October, 2017.
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.
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18:00 That's a wrap. We will be back tomorrow at 9am with more live coverage, and a roundup of today's sitting will be available on our website shortly. Thank you for following.
17:50 Proceedings took an unexpected turn after Keith Schembri told the court that people had approached him while he was under police supervision. Schembri has remained under constant police watch since beginning his testimony on Tuesday.
Schembri: While I was here, people came up to me asking for transfers.
Judge Edwina Grima immediately interrupted him.
"You weren't supposed to speak to anyone. What's this?"
Schembri replied that a court employee, whom he referred to as "Charlie Wires", had approached him.
"He told me, 'Do me a favour and move me from here because I've had enough.' I asked him, 'Where do you want to go?' Roderick was there and was laughing."
Judge Grima immediately summoned the Chief Marshal to the witness stand.
Asked whether anyone had spoken to Schembri, the Chief Marshal replied: "No. He was escorted from here to the holding area and back again. One person tried to speak to him, but we moved that person away."
The judge notes that the court had heard allegations that a court employee approached the witness and orders the Chief Executive of the Courts to investigate the incident and report back to the court.
The jurors are then escorted out of the courtroom.
17:47 The prosecution immediately points out that, although it had referred to several individuals, it had made no mention of Yorgen Fenech.
The prosecution then asks Schembri why, despite everything that had happened, he continued to insist he was still helping Fenech.
"Throughout your evidence and cross-examination, you said you would have gone through fire for Yorgen, that you helped him and are still helping him. You even told Dr De Marco today that you're helping him. Why?"
Schembri: We were very close friends. He cost me my job. I went through martyrdom, even with my wife. But I don't forget the friendship we had.
Jurors had no questions for Schembri.
17:43 De Marco asks Schembri whether he was hurt by Daphne Caruana Galizia's reporting about him and his family.
Schembri: "Every night before I go to sleep, I tell my mother to pray for Daphne. Pray for Daphne."
He adds, however, that Caruana Galizia had hurt many people, mentioning Joseph Muscat and Edward Zammit Lewis among them.
De Marco then puts the central allegation to him.
De Marco: Did you engage Melvin Theuma to have Daphne Caruana Galizia killed?
Schembri: I had no connection whatsoever with any of the people you've mentioned.
In her final challenge to the witness, De Marco says:
"You use people and hide your hands. Your fingerprints are everywhere."
Schembri replies: "My fingerprints are everywhere because of politics."
De Marco then informs the court: "I have no further questions for the witness."
17:39 De Marco brings up Yorgen Fenech's testimony that Schembri had been particularly distressed by Daphne Caruana Galizia's reporting, recalling an occasion when his daughter had asked him: "Are you going to die?"
Schembri replies: "This is the first time I've heard Yorgen mention my daughter."
As De Marco moves on to Melvin Theuma's evidence, Schembri interrupts before she can complete her question.
"You're mentioning the biggest liar in Malta," he says.
He then addresses De Marco directly.
"You're much braver than you're showing, and I know you understood what I meant when I told you I'm certain that if Yorgen was involved..."
De Marco abruptly changes tack.
"Why did you throw away your mobile phone?"
"I didn't throw it away. It was taken from me," Schembri replies.
Asked whether he kept a laptop in his office, Schembri says he did not.
"I always worked from my mobile phone. Joseph [Muscat] and I always worked from our mobiles. Robert Abela is the same - you send him a message at 9pm and he replies at 9.02pm."
Judge Grima then steps in, telling the witness: "Stick to the point."
17:34 De Marco returns to Kenneth Camilleri's testimony, reminding the court that he had said he feared Schembri. She also notes that, after testifying during the public inquiry, Camilleri claimed he was approached by a man in Valletta who told him: "You testified against Keith."
She further points out that Camilleri had said he did not know either Melvin Theuma or Yorgen Fenech.
Schembri: I'll sue him for libel because he's lying.
De Marco then turns to the testimony of Dr Adrian Vella, who said Schembri had handed him the disputed document.
Schembri: Bring him here and let him explain!
De Marco: Do you think he's going to change his version?
Schembri: I didn't give it to him. I told him to go upstairs and take whatever he wanted. Bring his wife here to testify because Vella said she was present when he took the document.
De Marco then moves on to Melvin Theuma's testimony.
Before she can finish her question, Schembri interrupts.
Schembri: So now you're believing him?
De Marco: I didn't say I believe him.
Schembri: Then why are you quoting him?
De Marco notes that Theuma had alleged Schembri repeatedly urged him to have Daphne Caruana Galizia killed.
Schembri: He's lying. Melvin told Keith Arnaud: "I swear Keith has nothing to do with it."
De Marco suggests that after Theuma secured a presidential pardon, he no longer implicated Schembri.
Schembri: He didn't leave me out. It was a false version.
De Marco: After he was arrested and reassured...
Schembri: Reassured by whom?
De Marco: The powers that be.
Schembri: Who reassured him?
De Marco: The police commissioner?
Schembri: What have I got to do with the police commissioner? Who told him he was going to get a presidential pardon? I was against him getting a pardon.
17:25 De Marco then refers to Johann Cremona's testimony that he had been tasked with calming Melvin Theuma after the latter threatened to go to Castille, and that he had done so on Schembri's behalf.
Rather than responding directly, Schembri launches into a defence of the Muscat administration.
"Can I say something? During our time in government, is it possible nobody noticed how much better people were living? A property worth €100,000 is worth €400,000 today. As a businessman, I used to be mocked... I'll repeat it, I used to be mocked. I was pleased when Yorgen showed me the Tumas Group balance sheet. My job was to create wealth."
De Marco: You're talking about the politics you embraced.
Schembri: If I had all that work on my shoulders, do you really think I had time to get involved in these affairs?
De Marco: So all these people we've mentioned have lied about you?
Schembri: No, not all of them lied. When I saw Johann Cremona, I felt sorry for him. He was sitting there in his cream suit wanting to speak, but he couldn't. Everyone knows what he wanted to say.
De Marco then turns to Kenneth Camilleri's testimony.
De Marco: Kenneth Camilleri said he was afraid of you.
The prosecution objects, arguing that this was not what Camilleri had testified.
Madam Justice Edwina Grima intervenes, saying: "Yes, that is what he said."
A brief argument breaks out between the prosecution and defence before the judge calls for order.
17:20 De Marco then confronts Schembri with allegations made against him by several prosecution witnesses.
De Marco: George Degiorgio said you commissioned Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder.
Schembri: Isn't the answer obvious? No.
De Marco then refers to the testimony of lawyer David Gatt, who claimed he made a "number one" hand gesture to indicate Schembri had commissioned the murder and was pleased with what had happened.
De Marco: Was he lying?
Schembri: Isn't it obvious?
The questioning then shifts to the secretly recorded conversations involving Johann Cremona.
De Marco notes that Cremona had claimed Kenneth Camilleri was sent by Schembri to meet Melvin Theuma. However, Camilleri testified that he did not know Yorgen Fenech and that Theuma had asked him for money before unsuccessfully trying to contact Schembri.
The defence lawyer also refers to Camilleri's testimony that he later approached then prime minister Joseph Muscat through Kurt Farrugia, asking: "What have you dragged me into?"
She notes that Muscat was quoted as replying: "I'd rather not know."
De Marco: So Kenneth Camilleri was lying?
Schembri: Yes
17:15 Proceedings resume with De Marco questioning Schembri about his meeting with Melvin Theuma.
De Marco: When Melvin Theuma was arrested, he asked for a lawyer who was Nationalist and not a criminal lawyer. Was he trying to threaten you? Did Theuma already know he was going to receive a presidential pardon?
Schembri: I had heard Melvin was saying he had a photo with me and wanted to blackmail not only me, but the government as well, in order to obtain a presidential pardon.
De Marco then refers to Theuma's claim that, after meeting Schembri, he felt he had gained influence.
De Marco: Theuma said that after that meeting he had "the power". Was anything discussed during that meeting?
Schembri: No. No such discussion took place. Once I later learnt how he behaved towards Yorgen Fenech, I couldn't...
16:42 The judge has ordered a short break, we will continue shortly.
16:40 De Marco asks Schembri whether, regardless of differing opinions about Daphne Caruana Galizia's writing, she deserved to be killed.
Schembri: Never.
De Marco notes that Caruana Galizia had written extensively about Schembri.
Schembri: Oh yes. She wrote about my father... about when I went to England...
De Marco: More than one article a day.
Schembri: Sometimes even more. She wrote about Joseph (Muscat), about his children, about Chris Cardona.
De Marco then refers to Schembri's earlier testimony that foreign investors had asked why the government did not "get rid of" Caruana Galizia.
Schembri: Yes, it's true. I told them, "What do you mean, get rid of her? Is that what we do here?" They were people looking to invest in Malta. They used to tell us, "Instead of applauding us for investing in this country, you create all this shit." They didn't only say it to me. They said it to Joseph Muscat and Chris Cardona too. What are you supposed to tell them?
De Marco: But you never entertained that.
Schembri: No, you don't.
Schembri adds that many of the investors they dealt with were from the Middle East.
De Marco then reads extracts from five blog posts in which Caruana Galizia wrote about Schembri's cancer treatment.
Schembri: I was a very private person. People trusted me. I helped Joseph during the election campaign, but I wasn't in politics. I came from the private sector.
De Marco: You weren't used to being in the public eye, then suddenly you found yourself the subject of these articles.
Schembri: I used to laugh.
De Marco: You laughed?
Schembri: I was in the UK and later in the US. I started reading them and laughed. But when I came back to Malta for my second cancer treatment, that was when it hit me... then my father found out.
16:30 The defence then turns to Schembri's legal disputes with Daphne Caruana Galizia.
De Marco: You told the court you filed one or two libel cases against Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Schembri: One... perhaps two.
De Marco: Do you remember what they concerned? Was one related to Tillgate?
Schembri: I think it was about 17 Black.
De Marco then displays a screenshot of Caruana Galizia's blog post Egrant - hiding in plain sight, published on 15 April 2017.
Schembri: As far as I remember, the libel case was about 17 Black.
Madam Justice Edwina Grima intervenes, asking whether the libel action related to the article being shown.
Schembri: No, I don't think so.
De Marco: How many libel cases did you file?
Schembri: I definitely remember one.
De Marco: Why did you withdraw it?
Schembri: Because the person died.
The questioning then shifts to Caruana Galizia's reporting on Schembri's cancer diagnosis.
De Marco: When she wrote about your cancer, did she cross a red line?
Schembri: Not with me. But she wrote about it before my children and my parents knew. It didn't make a difference to me, but it did to my children and my parents. That's what hurt me. The rest, you move on from.
Schembri adds that Caruana Galizia had also written about Dom Mintoff and had said she would "open a bottle of champagne" when he died.
"Why, in such a small country, was there so much antagonism?" Schembri asks.
16:16 De Marco points out that Schembri had testified newspapers reported the presidential pardon had been signed, when in fact it had not yet been signed by the prime minister.
Schembri: I don't remember.
De Marco then reads from Schembri's police statement, in which he had said:
"I laughed because the pardon had not yet been signed. I had taken it into the office myself for the prime minister to sign."
Schembri replies that several ministers, together with the Cabinet Secretary, had begun telling the prime minister they did not agree that he should sign the presidential pardon on his own.
De Marco then turns to a document recovered during the search of Schembri's office.
The handwritten notes included the phrases "DCG story 31/10/2016", "DCG (on her blog)" and "DCG died".
De Marco notes that on 31 October 2016, Daphne Caruana Galizia had published a blog post about Pierre Darmanin, describing him as the "black sheep".
Schembri says the document was among the papers Assistant Commissioners Keith Arnaud and Kurt Zahra seized during the search of his office. He adds that MaltaToday had reported he told publisher Saviour Balzan that Caruana Galizia's murder had been commissioned over diesel smuggling (a theory that was debunked later, with the public inquiry highlighting that this narrative was pushed into the mainstream media to disinform).
Schembri: That was the same information Daphne had published. The same information had also been reported by the Italian media.
16:04 As De Marco brought up a chat with lawyer Edward Gatt, Schembri interrupted to object, stating he would not answer questions about conversations with his lawyers and citing an earlier request by Charles Mercieca to strike similar evidence from the record, though Judge Grima noted De Marco had not yet asked her question. When De Marco asked if a Signal chat existed between Schembri and Edward Gatt, the prosecution and defence engaged in a legal argument over lawyer-client privilege, leading Judge Grima to announce she would examine the conversation herself before deciding whether the question could be asked.
15:53 De Marco asked why Schembri never mentioned this detail to the police, to which Schembri replied they had not asked him, prompting De Marco to read from his police statement where he had previously answered "Never" when asked if Fenech had spoken to him about the murder. When Schembri attempted to ask De Marco, "Have you ever had a friend?", Judge Edwina Grima immediately intervened twice to remind him that witnesses cannot question counsel. After De Marco retorted that she had many friends, she asked directly if Schembri had lied to the police, and upon the judge's prompt, Schembri answered that he did not know, explaining that he viewed it as a final blow for Fenech, that everyone from Joseph Muscat to police investigators had told him Fenech was involved, and that he was trying to preserve a friendship and calm things down while opposing a presidential pardon for Melvin Theuma.
15:47 Defence lawyer Giannella de Marco continued pressing Keith Schembri on the location of his conversation with Yorgen Fenech, with Schembri complaining that she expected him to remember minor details from years ago when he had tried to put the matter out of his mind, reiterating that Fenech never explicitly confessed to murder but simply gave that impression, after which they hugged and left. Schembri then recalled another specific occasion, stating they had gone to eat rabbit at the House of Four Winds in Valletta with about ten people, and afterwards got into his car where Fenech told him, "They gave me cocaine" and "I made a mistake."
15:40 de Marco asks Schembri about his testimony from the previous day where he stated that Yorgen Fenech gave him the impression of being involved in the murder. When asked where the conversation occurred, Schembri stated he could not remember the exact location because it was years ago, prompting de Marco to express scepticism that such a crucial detail could be forgotten, to which an indignant Schembri retorted that Fenech had said the same thing to Melvin. Pressing for details on how Fenech gave that impression and what he said, Schembri suggested they were at Fenech's house having a drink, leading to a brief back-and-forth when De Marco assumed he meant a bar, before Schembri insisted he was not imagining things.
15:31 Defence lawyer Giannella de Marco points out a contradiction between Keith Schembri's testimony that Johann Cremona made an appointment through his secretary and his earlier police statement where he claimed not to know the circumstances of how they met. Schembri confirmed his police statement, adding that he only truly came to know Cremona after he was arraigned two or three months later. De Marco then read further from the police statement, highlighting that Schembri had told Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud he only met Cremona once for about 30 minutes regarding a third-party request, never discussed the murder or recordings, and never met Cremona and Yorgen Fenech together, despite also having stated elsewhere that Cremona had been trying to meet him for some time. Schembri responded that if he had not seen Cremona in court on Tuesday, he would not even have recognised him.
15:20 Defence lawyer Giannella de Marco asked Schembri if he was aware that Melvin Theuma had also secretly recorded him, to which Schembri replied that he was not. After the defence requested to play a portion of one of Theuma's recordings in court - in which Theuma tells Johann Cremona that "He knew everything" and indicates he had secretly recorded Keith Schembri - De Marco reiterated the question, and Schembri maintained that he had no idea Theuma had recorded him.
15.09 Following a break, the proceedings resumed in Hall 22 with Keith Schembri back on the witness stand to face further questions from the defence lawyers, promptly opening with a complaint that lawyer Charles Mercieca had muttered the word "liar" under his breath during cross-examination.
13:10: That takes us into today's lunch break. The session will resume at 3pm.
13:02: The defence lawyer continues to read from the WhatsApp exchange.
Muscat: "Who's behind him?"
Schembri: "Today is the 16th, her anniversary. But Arnaud needs to put his foot down."
Muscat: "Is someone backing him?"
Schembri: "Isn't it enough that he got what he wanted and left me to swim on my own?"
Muscat: "He won't be left on his own."
De Marco asks whether the witness remembers this exchange, but he says that he doesn't.
She turns to another contact - one listed as "ir-Rukkell". Schembri says that this might have been Johann Cremona, but De Marco says that he had saved him as "ix-Xlukkajr."
A call from this Rukkell contact was made and answered, and De Marco says that Kenneth Camilleri had testified that he had phoned Schembri that day and been told that he was in a meeting.
Schembri says that the call could have been when Camilleri called "to ask me for the €30,000 and we met at the counting hall in Naxxar."
12:55: De Marco tells Schembri that Cremona told the jury that he had been summoned to Castille because he wanted to know what had happened with Yorgen Fenech after speaking to him about his gaming company.
Schembri replies that he was making an assumption, and that he had always maintained the same version on this: that Cremona had a problem relating to his gaming company, that he spoke to then MGA CEO Joseph Cuschieri who said that the issue would be resolved within the next ew months.
"Before Johann left, he asked me how long it had been since I'd spoken to Yorgen. I told him it had been a while and asked him to pass on my regards," Schembri says.
De Marco then turns to messages between Schembri and former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.
The defence lawyer says that Schembri has told the jury that he never spoke to Melvin Theuma, never listened to the recordings and that the police commissioner never discussed them with him.
She shows a screenshot of a WhatsApp exchange between Schembri and Muscat in which Muscat asks 'Which recording is it?' - to which Schembri replies 'Not the ones mentioned in court... It's a made-up story. Lorry (Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar) told me there's nothing there, but I'll keep digging.'
De Marco asks why the Police Commissioner needed to tell him that there was 'nothing there' -Schembri replies questioning the suggestion that the Commissioner could not speak to the chief of staff; but De Marco says that this exchange was after his arrest, which means that he had already resigned as chief of staff.
12:33 When De Marco noted that the story about Gatt being naked was something he had never mentioned before, Schembri said he had told the prime minister and his secretary. After De Marco suggested Gatt might have undressed to prove he was not recording him, Schembri defensively asked what she was trying to imply. Pressed on why he called Gatt that same day when their phones were in the same area, Schembri stated it was most probably because Gatt was constantly pestering him and the Foreign Affairs Ministry about becoming Malta's ambassador to Israel. When De Marco asked him to explain why David Gatt called George Degiorgio shortly after, Schembri answered that he could not.
12:30 De Marco asks Schembri if lawyer David Gatt had ever visited his office, to which Schembri replied that he did once before the murder, recounting that he left to use the toilet and returned to find Gatt waiting in his office naked, an unexpected remark that caused surprise in the courtroom. When de Marco asked if he had ordered Gatt's arrest, Schembri stated he was still trying to understand what happened. Asked what police inspectors Keith Arnaud and Kurt Zahra meant when they allegedly told him to "burn" Gatt, Schembri explained they had told him Gatt would try to meet him and instructed him to meet him once and then burn him, leading to the bizarre office encounter. De Marco pointed out that on the morning of August 16, 2017, both Schembri and Gatt's phones connected to the same mobile phone mast, placing them in the same area. After confirming that Daphne Caruana Galizia had not yet been murdered at that time, Schembri suggested they were likely both on their way into Castille because Gatt seemed to be following him wherever he went.
12:19 Defence lawyer Giannella de Marco asks Keith Schembri if he had asked Prime Minister Joseph Muscat or the police commissioner about the recordings, leading to a brief exchange where Schembri noted the commissioner was not involved. When asked who first told him about the recordings, Schembri stated that Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud mentioned them during his interrogation upon arrest. When de Marco pointed out he had been told his name was coming up during meetings, Schembri clarified that everyone was being told, not just him. De Marco then shifted the questioning to lawyer David Gatt, asking Schembri if he knew him. Schembri abruptly asked for the courtroom to be cleared so he could speak about Gatt, alleging that police investigators Keith Arnaud and Kurt Zahra used to ask him to do them a favour and "burn him." Schembri added that Gatt had wanted to become Malta's ambassador to Israel and that even the Israeli ambassador had spoken to him about it, but he had told the ambassador to forget it.
12:02 Keith Schembri notes that the civil case regarding Melvin Theuma's alleged phantom job had been decided in his favour and was currently under appeal. When De Marco pointed out that witnesses testified Theuma needed to be calmed down because he kept threatening to go to Castille and reveal everything at the police depot, Schembri stated Theuma could have gone wherever he wanted and reiterated that he never sent anyone to kill him. Turning to Theuma's secret recordings, Schembri denied ever being told that Theuma was mentioning him while the Security Service was intercepting conversation. Schembri said the prime minister did not want then Minister Michael Farrugia signing off on the interception warrants and wanted to sign everything himself. When asked if he knew his name was being mentioned, Schembri admitted he knew it had come up but took it with a pinch of salt, explaining that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat would occasionally tell him Theuma mentioned him again, but he never gave it much importance because he knew he had done nothing wrong and viewed Theuma as having a very vivid imagination.
11:56 Following the break, de Marco resumed direct questioning by asking Keith Schembri if he had ever seen Melvin Theuma before Theuma came to Castille, and directly asked if he had sent OPM bodyguard Kenneth Camilleri to kill Melvin. Schembri firmly denied it, stating he never did. De Marco then read out a message sent by Theuma to Yorgen Fenech prompting de Marco to repeat the question of whether Schembri had tried to kill Theuma. Schembri again denied the accusation, insisting Theuma was lying about him just as he lied about everyone else, and adding that he did not even have Theuma's phone number. When de Marco asked if they had agreed to have Daphne Caruana Galizia killed when Theuma visited Castille, Schembri replied, "Of course not," reiterating that Theuma had only come to speak about a job, after which Schembri offered him an espresso.
11:23 Proceedings have stopped for a short break
11:20 Schembri says Melvin Theuma never visited his house, though Yorgen Fenech had visited twice for lunch and Christmas drinks. When de Marco directly asked if he had ever told Melvin Theuma to kill Daphne Caruana Galizia, Schembri appeared visibly taken aback and answered, "What? Of course not."
De Marco proceeded to read from a transcript of a secretly recorded conversation where Theuma said he would tell Keith to remember how much he cried before their arrest. Schembri claimed Theuma was about to recount something he had said downstairs during the compilation of evidence to defence lawyer Charles Mercieca. This prompted lawyer Charles Mercieca to interject, shouting, "Don't invent any more stories about me!", to which Schembri replied while turning to face him, "Relax, I'm not inventing anything about you."
11:11 De Marco brought up further testimony from Kenneth Camilleri placing him in Żurrieq where Melvin Theuma spoke of needing bail and bags full of cash, which Schembri denied any knowledge of, stating he only learned about it through the media and noting they hardly ever spoke. When de Marco pointed out that secretly recorded conversations played during the trial featured Johann Cremona saying Schembri was the one who sent Camilleri, Schembri countered that it was "just a bluff." After de Marco highlighted that Cremona did not know he was being recorded at the time, Schembri argued that people lie either out of malice or to calm a situation down, ultimately agreeing with de Marco's suggestion that Cremona was simply bluffing to calm Melvin Theuma down.
11:06 de Marco asked Keith Schembri how OPM bodyguard Kenneth Camilleri ended up contacting Johann Cremona if Schembri claimed not to know him, prompting Schembri to dispute the connection and share a previously unmentioned incident involving Camilleri. Schembri stated that the prime minister had seven security officers, that he was close to six of them but not Camilleri, and that he and Camilleri frequently argued because Camilleri walked around Castille with his holster on and once accidentally discharged his firearm while bending over near Joseph Muscat's wife, after which Schembri threatened to fire him. When asked why he never reported this to MSS head Joe Bugeja, Schembri admitted he never did. De Marco then pressed Schembri on testimony from both Camilleri and Cremona alleging that Schembri called Camilleri after 8 and told him to contact Cremona to take someone - later identified as Melvin Theuma - to calm them down, which Schembri flatly rejected as lies.
10:55 Defence lawyer Giannella de Marco noted that Keith Schembri attended Castille meetings about the murder investigation, with Schembri saying that when he learned they were considering a presidential pardon for Melvin Theuma, he disagreed at the time and told them they already had enough evidence to arraign him. When asked if there was a disagreement between the police and Europol over arresting Theuma, Schembri attempted to ask a question back, prompting Judge Edwina Grima to intervene and remind him that he could not ask questions. Schembri said he never attended discussions with Europol officials. De Marco asks if Schembri used to call the police commissioner, to which Schembri stated he never called him about the case, only to request someone's transfer. When asked about Johann Cremona, Schembri denied knowing him beforehand, explaining that the first time he met him was at Castille after his secretary, Charlene, scheduled an appointment for a friend of Yorgen Fenech regarding a gaming-related matter.
10:45 Defence lawyer Giannella de Marco questioned Keith Schembri about his past interactions with murder middleman Melvin Theuma, pointing out a discrepancy between Schembri's previous testimony about finding Theuma waiting in his office and Theuma's claim that Schembri came down to the main entrance to meet him and give him a tour of Castille. Schembri acknowledged going downstairs and bringing Theuma up, but dismissed the claim that he gave him a tour, stating he only asked his secretary to make Theuma an espresso while Theuma asked for a job. Schembri argued that if he truly held the status of being "next only to God" as Theuma claimed, Theuma would not have needed to ask for a photo, adding that everyone visiting Castille wanted a picture with him. Schembri further explained that Sandro Craus was called in, after which Theuma went downstairs to give officials details relating to the job before leaving, and denied that Theuma told him he was a taxi driver, noting instead that someone downstairs had asked Theuma about being registered under a Portomaso contract, to which Theuma replied that the conditions were poor and he wanted to work for the government instead.
10:37 Defence lawyer Giannella de Marco noted Schembri had previously mentioned fingerprints from both of them but now insisted he never touched it. When de Marco asked about the contents of the letter, Schembri maintained he only learned about its contents and handwriting from the media. After de Marco asked if the letter had been provided to him as part of disclosure while he and his lawyers waited before interrogation, Schembri initially denied receiving documents, then corrected himself to acknowledge they showed it to him while reiterating that he never touched it and had never seen the document before. When pressed about Vella's claim that Schembri gave it to him, Schembri denied it. Finally, shifting focus to when Vella was being interrogated by police, Schembri denied that the police commissioner had contacted him directly, by phone, or through a relative's phone.
10:27 de Marco pressed Keith Schembri about Dr Adrian Vella's statement that Schembri told him to go upstairs and take whichever document he needed, to which Schembri replied by citing his history with cancer and explaining that Vella was often at his house. De Marco tells Schembri he could not answer every question by mentioning his cancer. Schembri sayshe had lots of blood test results upstairs and told Vella to take what he wanted. When De Marco argued that a doctor could certainly tell the difference between a blood test and another document, Schembri brought up that an expert had been appointed during the inquiry to examine fingerprints because they had both touched the document. After De Marco noted that Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud showed him the document during his interrogation at the police depot, Schembri insisted he never touched it, stating that Arnaud had held it out to him and explicitly told him not to touch it.
10:23 De Marco brings up allegations by Dr Adrian Vella that Schembri gave him a document to pass on to Yorgen Fenech. Schembri denies this, claiming instead that Vella went upstairs and picked up the document himself without him knowing what was on it. When De Marco questioned if Vella would simply walk into his house and help himself to documents, Schembri maintained that is what happened and accused de Marco of repeating a lie when she suggested Vella was telling the truth, telling her to ask Vella again while insisting he himself was telling the truth.
10:18 de Marco asks Schembri about visits from Dr Adrian Vella, specifically questioning if the doctor had gone to Schembri's house on November 19, to which Schembri replied that Vella visited like many other people although he could not specifically recall that date. When asked if Vella came over during the week of his arrest, Schembri noted that if he was not mistaken, it coincided with the day of Dr Joseph Muscat's party at Girgenti, and acknowledged it was possible he called Vella to come over before heading to that event.
10:16 Giannella de Marco asks Keith Schembri about the search of his Mellieħa home, noting that Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud did not seize electronic devices personally before scene-of-crime officers were called and Schembri was taken to the police depot in an unmarked van. When asked about phones seen in police photographs, Schembri stated they belonged to his mother and the nanny, rejecting the claim that he selectively pointed out devices for officers to take. Schembri challenged the court to bring Arnaud and the forensic officers back to look him in the eye, insisting they were lying about him just like many others.
10:07 De Marco noted Schembri's testimony from the previous day about having cancer twice and travelling to the United States for treatment. Schembri says that Fenech and Dr Adrian Vella travelled to the US with him. Schembri explains that shortly before that, he had undergone surgery in the UK where doctors discovered something else similar to multiple sclerosis, requiring tough treatment where he had to stop chemotherapy and receive injections in his eyes, only for the cancer to return afterward. When De Marco remarked that Fenech had supported him through it all, Schembri agreed, clarifying that the support was personal rather than financial, and stating he would never forget it.
10:03 Schembri states that he used to go the extra mile with anyone who needed help because that was his job, prompting defence lawyer Giannella de Marco to suggest that having an open-door policy and trying to help everyone did not mean those people were his friends, to which Schembri replied that he was an open character with everyone who spoke to him. Schembri says that while the prime minister remained the prime minister, he would have gone through fire for Yorgen, admitting that doing so was a mistake.
9:59 When De Marco notes that Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud testified Schembri had said his phone was lost during the November 2019 police search, Schembri clarifies that he did not call it lost, but rather stated he did not know where it was, a fact he maintains to this day. De Marco then referenced Schembri's testimony from the previous day, recalling that Schembri had described Fenech as one of Malta's top five businessmen, a generous man who never asked for anything in return, and noted Schembri's comment that he entered politics knowing there would be life after politics. While Schembri nodded to these points, he rejected De Marco's suggestion that he had wanted to invest in his friendship with Fenech for future business opportunities, clarifying instead that they had been friends for years and that he had friends from all walks of life.
9:50 Defence lawyer de Marco asks Schembri about the timeline of his arrest, asking if workmen were really present at 5:30am, to which Schembri replied that they arrived at 5:45am. When de Marco asked if he was arrested at 5:30am, Schembri denied it firmly, noting he would never forget that his daughter had already gone to school. Recalling the moment police arrived, Schembri stated he was still in bed when officers knocked on the door, his wife answered it, and he went downstairs after the officers asked for him.
9:43 Under continued cross-examination by de Marco, Schembri stated he was never told about allegations that he had engaged Melvin Theuma, noting that investigators were certain he did not know Theuma, let alone engage him. When asked who informed him that Yorgen Fenech had turned on him and that an arrest was imminent, Schembri maintained he did not know who specifically told him, though he acknowledged that the prime minister was being kept informed of developments. Schembri reiterated that he handed his resignation to Joseph Muscat at the prime minister's house the night before his arrest, denied that the police commissioner had briefed him on the investigation, and insisted he assumed the police were at Dr Adrian Vella's house simply because they were friends, just as he was friends with the Fenech family, rather than due to any letter.
9:38 De Marco: Could you turn and face me?
Schembri: I'd prefer to look at the jurors.
Schembri testifies that he resigned shortly before police arrived to arrest him. When defence lawyer Giannella de Marco asked who had been informing him about developments in the murder investigation, Schembri stated that until he resigned at around 11pm, he was being kept informed about everything that was happening. Asked if he continued attending the Castille meetings concerning the investigation, Schembri replied that he did not stay in those meetings, though he was kept informed about matters that concerned him.
9:34 De Marco asks Schembri about his missing mobile phone, with Schembri saying he suspected it had been stolen. Schembri explains that the final recorded activity on the device at 5:03am was a phone call from Dr Adrian Vella informing him that the police were knocking on his door. He said he had been informed by the police about a statement made by Yorgen Fenech.
9:27 Keith Schembri took the stand to face cross-examination from Yorgen Fenech's defence lawyer, Giannella de Marco.
9:20 Harmionen confirms two additional reports regarding data extractions from electronic devices seized on November 14, 2019, in Xgħajra and Marsascala, followed by three more reports concerning devices seized that same day from a garage in Marsascala and Melvin Theuma's residence in Żurrieq, concluding his testimony with no cross-examination.
9:15 Before Keith Schembri took the stand, Europol digital forensics expert Sami Harmionen testifies as the day's first witness, confirming his first report on the forensic extraction of data from electronic devices seized during a December 22, 2017 inquiry at a Mosta farmhouse, as well as a second report concerning data extracted from devices seized from a St Paul's Bay apartment linked to one of the Degiorgio brothers.
9:10 In a statement issued on Thursday morning, the Daphne Foundation accused Malta's government of failing to act to deliver the reforms needed to protect journalists, noting that most public inquiry recommendations remain unimplemented and emphasising that true justice requires dismantling the systems that allowed corruption, impunity, and organised crime to flourish, rather than just securing murder convictions.
9:05 The court is in session