Police tapes raise new questions after Malta businessman admitted he initially approved journalist's murder plot

The acquittal of Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech in the murder case involving investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has generated renewed controversy after recordings of his police interrogations revealed that he told investigators he had initially approved a plan to kill the journalist. The recordings, released by the Times of Malta , document Fenech's questioning by police in 2019. During the interrogations, Fenech acknowledged that he had given an initial 'OK' to middleman Melvin Theuma regarding the plan to assassinate Caruana Galizia. He also claimed that he subsequently changed his mind and instructed Theuma to stop the operation. The revelations have added another layer to one of Malta's most closely watched criminal cases, particularly because a jury recently found Fenech not guilty of complicity in the journalist's murder and of criminal association. Caruana Galizia, one of Malta's most prominent investigative journalists, was killed on October 16, 2017. A car bomb exploded as she drove away from her home, killing her instantly. She was 53. Her murder shocked Malta and attracted international attention because of the journalist's extensive investigations into alleged corruption, political connections and financial misconduct involving powerful individuals and businesses. Fenech's trial lasted 55 days and brought renewed scrutiny to the network of people surrounding the murder. On September 2, a nine-member jury acquitted him following roughly eight hours of deliberation. The verdict was reportedly reached by an 8-1 vote. Despite the acquittal, the police recordings have provided an unusually detailed account of Fenech's version of events. During his 2019 interrogation, Fenech told investigators that Theuma had discussed the cost of carrying out the killing. According to the recordings, Theuma told him that his 'share' of the cost would be €120,000. Fenech did not tell police that he had actually paid that full amount. He did, however, acknowledge giving Theuma €50,000 in an effort to stop the murder operation. According to Fenech's account, that payment was made three days after he had initially approved the plan. Fenech further told investigators that he continued providing money to Theuma after the murder because he was frightened. He alleged that Theuma, a taxi driver who acted as an intermediary in the case, was blackmailing him. The recordings therefore present a complicated picture of Fenech's alleged involvement. On one hand, he acknowledged approving the plot at an initial stage. On the other, he maintained that he later attempted to have the operation cancelled and portrayed himself as someone caught in a dangerous situation rather than the person ultimately responsible for ordering the murder. Fenech has consistently claimed that he was acting as an intermediary and that the alleged instructions originated with Keith Schembri, the former chief of staff to then-Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. Schembri has not been charged in connection with Caruana Galizia's murder and has strongly denied any involvement in the killing. The allegations have nevertheless placed Malta's political establishment under intense scrutiny. The murder investigation has exposed relationships between businessmen, political figures and individuals connected to the criminal underworld, raising broader questions about corruption, accountability and the influence of powerful networks within the country. Caruana Galizia's own investigations provide an important backdrop to the case. Before her death, she had been examining alleged irregularities surrounding the Electrogas power station consortium, in which Fenech was a director. She was also investigating 17 Black, a company based in the United Arab Emirates that was associated with Fenech. Her reporting made her a highly controversial figure among some political and business circles, while supporters regarded her as one of Malta's most important voices against corruption. The criminal proceedings have resulted in convictions for several people directly involved in carrying out the murder. Five men are serving lengthy prison sentences, including two brothers who were involved in planting and detonating the bomb and two others who supplied the military-grade explosive used in the attack. Theuma, meanwhile, received immunity from prosecution in exchange for giving evidence in the case. His testimony became an important component of the prosecution's effort to establish Fenech's alleged role in commissioning the murder. Fenech's acquittal therefore does not erase the evidence and allegations that emerged during the investigation and trial. Instead, it has intensified debate over whether the full chain of responsibility for Caruana Galizia's assassination has been established. The release of the interrogation tapes has added to that debate. Hearing Fenech himself describe an initial approval of the plot, followed by an alleged attempt to stop it, has raised questions about the distinction between discussing or authorizing a crime and being legally responsible for the murder that ultimately occurred. For Caruana Galizia's family, supporters and Maltese civil society organizations, the acquittal has been deeply disturbing. The verdict has reportedly triggered widespread outrage, with demonstrations and public vigils once again becoming a focal point for those demanding accountability. Organizations including Repubblika and Occupy Justice have announced plans to turn the regular monthly vigil held on the 16th of each month into a larger protest in solidarity with Caruana Galizia. Nearly nine years after her assassination, the journalist's murder remains a defining test of Malta's justice system and its ability to hold powerful figures accountable. The latest developments demonstrate that even after a jury has delivered its verdict, significant questions surrounding the case remain. Fenech has been legally cleared of the charges brought against him, but the police recordings have ensured that his own account of initially approving the assassination plot will remain part of the public record. The controversy now extends beyond the question of whether Fenech was criminally responsible. It also concerns whether Malta has fully uncovered the network behind the murder, who ultimately ordered the killing, and whether everyone who may have played a role has been held accountable. For many Maltese citizens, those questions are not simply about one criminal case. They concern the safety of journalists, the integrity of democratic institutions and the ability of the justice system to confront allegations involving the country's most powerful political and business figures. As public anger grows following Fenech's acquittal, pressure is likely to continue for a fuller accounting of what happened before, during and after the killing of Daphne Caruana Galizia. The newly released police tapes have ensured that the debate over those unanswered questions is far from over. Please follow Blitz on Google News Channel More News Of This Category