Self-confessed murder middleman Melvin Theuma is expected to continue being cross-examined by Yorgen Fenech's defence team on Thursday.

His testimony came under intense scrutiny on Wednesday, as defence lawyer Gianella de Marco repeatedly pressed him over contradictions in his testimony, his presidential pardon, secret recordings and his claims involving Keith Schembri, Johann Cremona and former police commissioner Lawrence Cutajar.

The defence's line was focused heavily on Theuma's credibility: when he was telling the truth, when he was bluffing, why he had lied and why some of his accounts had changed over time.

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.

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, Giannella de Marco 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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9:57 With the WhatsApp chat from September 26, 2019, finally displayed on the courtroom screens, it revealed a conversation where Melvin Theuma instructed his stepdaughter to buy a pendrive, sent her a photo of a bottle of wine, and asked her to check its price. After she identified it as a Brunello di Montalcino worth over 40 euros and retailed at 86 euros at Chophouse, she asked where he got it, to which Theuma replied that it was given to him by "that liba" (dickhead) Yorgen.

When de Marco remarked that this text demonstrated his true level of respect, Theumaretorted that he had respected Fenech a great deal, noting that he never took a single cent from the murder funds for himself and even ended up paying money out of his own pocket. Theuma said that if Fenech had not dragged him into the mess, he would still be living like a "little lord," adding that he is still suffering the consequences to this day.

9:50 As defence lawyer Charles Mercieca requested that a WhatsApp chat from September 26, 2019, between Melvin Theuma and his stepdaughter be displayed on the courtroom screens to demonstrate how Theuma spoke about Yorgen Fenech, de Marco continued her questioning. De Marco asked Theuma what he would say to the claim made by hitman George Degiorgio that Keith Schembri was the one who engaged Theuma to have Daphne Caruana Galizia killed, which Theuma flatly dismissed as completely untrue. When de Marco quoted Degiorgio's testimony that they would never carry out a hit without knowing who ordered it, Theuma insisted de Marco was deeply mistaken, stating that the only thing George Degiorgio had ever told him was a remark about how many tough guys had already died and that she would die too. 

9:44 Following the replay of the recorded phone call between Melvin Theuma and Edgar Brincat ("Ġojja"), during which Theuma could be heard saying he told Fenech to contact someone, de Marco asked who he was referring to. Theuma confirmed he meant Keith Schembri. When de Marco pointed out that Theuma also mentioned 1,000 euros a week in the call, Theuma explained that Fenech had continued paying the hitmen between 1,000 and 3,000 euros weekly right up until the end. As de Marco suggested that Theuma himself wanted 1,000 euros a week, Theuma pushed back, telling her to say whatever she wanted while insisting there was only one truth. When de Marco asked if that truth was that Yorgen Fenech was the mastermind, Theuma answered affirmatively, affirming that Yorgen Fenech of Tumas Group had given him 150,000 euros to have Daphne Caruana Galizia killed. 

9:35 Theuma testified that he continued speaking with Yorgen Fenech right up until the very end, prompting de Marco to ask if he had been afraid of Fenech. Theuma replied that his only fear was getting caught. When de Marco pointed out that he claimed to have been afraid of Keith Schembri, Theuma explained he feared Schembri because he knew Schembri would do anything for Fenech, but firmly stated that de Marco could try to pin it on Schembri if she wished, whereas he could not implicate him because Schembri never gave him money or ordered the murder. When de Marco accused him of threatening Fenech, Theuma denied it, noting that right before his arrest, Fenech even reimbursed him 20,000 euros that Theuma had previously paid out of his own pocket.

After de Marco challenged his earlier denial of making Fenech cry-noting the audio recording played moments earlier-Theuma insisted he had never made Fenech cry, leading De Marco to call for the audio to be played again.

9:30 A recorded phone call between Melvin Theuma and Edgar Brincat ("Il-Ġojja") was played in court, capturing Theuma telling Brincat that he had made Yorgen Fenech cry, instructed Fenech to tell Keith Schembri, and remarked that he would "sort one guy a week." On the witness stand, Theuma explained that Fenech had been stunned and on the verge of tears when handed portions of the secret recordings, adding that he told Fenech he could pass them along to Keith Schembri if he wished. When the judge intervened to ask for clarification on the "one guy a week" comment, Theuma clarified that he was referring to Mario Degiorgio - the brother of two of the hitmen - and the money he was handing over to him on a weekly basis to be passed on to the hitmen detained in prison. 

9:25 When defence lawyer Gianella De Marco suggested he was blackmailing and threatening Yorgen Fenech for money, Melvin Theuma denied it, pointing out that when Fenech provided the funds to have Daphne Caruana Galizia killed, he did not ask for a single cent for himself, only requesting the exact 150,000 euros that Alfred Degiorgio had demanded. When De Marco noted that he had left behind evidence containing lies about people, Theuma defended his actions by asking whether he ultimately told investigators the truth when push came to shove. When De Marco pressed him on whether he was telling the truth today, Theuma curtly replied to set her mind at ease that he was.

9:20 Defence lawyer Giannella de Marco brought Melvin Theuma back to the contents of his letter, which implicated both Yorgen Fenech and Keith Schembri in the murder, and asked why Theuma had handed over audio recordings, his photograph with Schembri, and his government job contract to Fenech. Theuma explained that he gave those items to Fenech to show Schembri after Kenneth Camilleri visited him, which led Theuma to assume Schembri had sent Camilleri and that Fenech and Schembri were involved together. When asked if they actually were, Theuma answered no. De Marco then accused Theuma of blackmailing Fenech and threatening him for money, which Theuma firmly denied. As the exchange grew tense, De Marco remarked that Theuma was repeating himself, to which Theuma retorted that she was doing the exact same thing.