"Under Labour, no one can touch me."

According to self-confessed middleman Melvin Theuma, those were Yorgen Fenech's words as the two men discussed the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and what might happen in its aftermath.

The statement emerged during the third day of testimony by Theuma, dominated by secret recordings, money paid to the alleged hitmen and discussions about political influence, possible accomplices and the investigation into the journalist's murder.

Fenech 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.

Theuma told the court that he had advised Fenech to speak to then Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, referring also to Keith Schembri and the political influence they wielded. But, according to Theuma, Fenech rejected the idea of approaching Muscat, describing it as potentially "the biggest mistake" of his life.

Theuma also recalled Fenech saying that, had he known how far the situation would escalate, he would never have gone through with it. Theuma further testified that Fenech repeatedly admitted to having "messed things up" and to paying for Caruana Galizia to be killed.

The testimony placed considerable emphasis on the aftermath of the murder and the efforts to keep the men accused of carrying it out from talking.

Theuma said he had done everything he could to keep Alfred and George Degiorgio quiet. (The Degiorgio brothers 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. Vince Muscat admitted his role in the murder in 2021 and was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment.)

In his testimony, Theuma described himself as their sole point of contact in relation to the murder and said the brothers had only learned of Fenech's alleged involvement through news reports.

The Degiorgios' demands eventually became a significant financial burden. Theuma said they wanted €60,000, an amount he considered excessive, although Fenech insisted that they could not abandon them and ultimately covered the expense. Theuma also testified that he had initially used €60,000 of his own money in relation to George Degiorgio's partner and was later reimbursed by Fenech.
The discussions heard in the recordings went beyond money.

In one recorded conversation, Fenech warned Theuma to be careful with his telephone, with Theuma saying he was using it only for WhatsApp. Theuma described Fenech as someone who repeatedly warned him about mobile phone security.

The recordings also contained discussions about Daphne Caruana Galizia's laptop, which had been sent to Germany. Theuma told the court that he and Fenech knew at the time that German authorities had the device.

According to Theuma, Fenech contained information concerning numerous people who might have had a motive to harm the journalist. Fenech also allegedly claimed that members of Caruana Galizia's family had an interest in muddying the waters by sending the laptop abroad.

Theuma said that, despite Fenech's concerns about the laptop, he was personally much more worried about the Degiorgios talking.

The testimony then moved into a wider discussion about possible accomplices and political connections.

Theuma said Fenech had mentioned a number of people as potentially being involved. He also recalled Fenech attempting to suggest that Caruana Galizia's son could have been involved by deliberately leaving her car outside the family home.

Theuma also testified that Fenech had claimed others were involved in the plot and had shown him a photograph of a man from Birkirkara whose name began with "B", describing him as a middleman.

There were also references to former Labour minister Chris Cardona. Theuma recalled Fenech saying that only Cardona could help because of his influence within judicial circles, while Mario Degiorgio had allegedly approached Cardona for assistance but had been ignored.

The courtroom also heard how profoundly the murder had affected Theuma himself. He said his life had been turned upside down. He abandoned his work and spent his mornings meeting Johann Cremona or occasionally visiting Mario Degiorgio or Fenech before returning home by noon because he felt deeply uncomfortable being outside.

And throughout the morning, the recordings repeatedly returned to one central theme: control.

In one conversation, recorded inside a car on the way to Fenech's Żebbuġ farmhouse, Theuma told Fenech that he appeared to be remarkably calm. Fenech replied, according to the recording, that if one was not calm, one was not in control of everything. Theuma told the court that Fenech was referring to the murder and said Fenech felt trapped, with little left to do except remain calm.

One recording also captured a discussion between Theuma and Fenech about the possibility of the Degiorgio brothers being granted bail. At one point, Fenech said that if Alfred and George Degiorgio were released, they would leave Malta within a week, while he would leave for London with his family.

The conversation also touched on Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera. Asked about the reference in court, Theuma explained that Ryan Farrugia, the partner of his partner's daughter, owned a farmhouse next to the judge's property. Theuma said he had spoken to Scerri Herrera on one occasion and that she had told him the Degiorgios would probably be granted bail eventually.

The afternoon sitting continued with more recordings being played out in open court, although most of these suffered from being of poor audio quality - meaning that it was difficult for journalists and jurors alike to pick up on what was being said.

In one recording, Fenech remarked that sometimes it would be better if "they left" after discussing whether they were going to stay, prompting Theuma to agree and state, "I want them to leave," which Theuma later confirmed to the court was a reference to the Degiorgio brothers. 

The next recording then featured a time when when then-deputy police commissioner Silvio Valletta was scheduled to meet Fenech at Portomaso amid discussions that Valletta would be removed from the murder case.

Theuma said that Valletta and Fenech would hang out to "drink a whiskey and have a chat," and while the audio was unclear, the recording included mentions of an "SMS" and "one of the brothers" texting "Cardona." 

In the recording, Theuma expressed doubt that a pardon would be granted at that stage, prompting Fenech to advise him to take his family away for a few days so he would stop worrying.

The next recording again featured Theuma and Fenech, and referred to searches for Alfred Degiorgio's burner phone, which had been dumped in the sea.

"No, nothing. If they wanted to find the phone, they would have," Theuma is heard on the recording telling Fenech.

Chris Cardona features in another snippet of the recording, and Fenech referred to a "mate" in this conversation - the "mate" being Keith Schembri, Theuma told the court.

Another snippet had Theuma telling Fenech about one of the monthly vigils that was in Valletta to commemorate Daphne's death. "I would sometimes see her mother and father at the front of those crowds, and I'd think to myself 'What have I done to these people?'" Theuma told the court.

A further recording showed Theuma telling Fenech that Johann Cremona had advised him to change his phone because it had been tapped.  Asked by the prosecution, Theuma told the jury that Keith Schembri had given Cremona this information.

Raymond Aquilina, who headed the police's anti-money laundering unit, was mentioned in another recording within the context of a sanction letter for a property in San Gwann.

Another recording was played, and Theuma told jurors that here he was asking Fenech to ask Schembri about the investigation into him, and Fenech replies by telling Theuma that the investigation into him is over - "dead."

Theuma told jurors that he did not feel reassured by that and that he felt close to being arrested.

Jurors heard one final recording - though this one needed to be slowed down by a court expert in order for even Theuma to understand what was being said.

He heard Fenech say "those guys in there are not happy", and says that this is a reference to the Degiorgio brothers.

The case will continue on Tuesday at 9am, with Theuma still on the witness stand.