Daphne Caruana Galizia Case: Europol Experts Failed Complete Assigned Tasks, Magistrate Says
Europol experts who extracted data from Daphne Caruana Galizia’s phone and blog failed to complete the tasks assigned to them in 2017, a magistrate in today’s compilation of evidence said.
Four computer forensics experts testified as witnesses in the re-opened compilation of evidence against Yorgen Fenech and they all said that they were told to extract data from the devices provided to them by Maltese authorities – so that’s what they did, the Times of Malta reported.
However, each of them maintained that they were never told to analyse and examine the data, despite that being included in the magisterial decree that resulted in their appointment to the case.
The experts gave various reasons as to why this data was not or could not be analysed.
This triggered Magistrate Rachel Montebello to agree that a 2017 court decree to have data extracted, collected, and analysed remained incomplete.
One expert, Sami Harmionen, said he would not be able to perform data analysis because the data traffic could not be captured – for such data to be captured the device would have to be live. Unfortunately, Daphne’s phone was in the car when the assassination occurred making it inaccessible and impossible to capture the data traffic
Meanwhile, Cordillo Torres was asked hypothetically if the task could be completed to which he replied yes given the ideal circumstances. However, he did not say that he would be able to analyse the data of this specific case.
Two other Europol experts were unable to take the stand with one on long-term sick leave and the other requiring clearance from Dutch police.
Maltese officials have dispatched a formal request to their Dutch counterparts via Eurojust, as stated by prosecuting superintendent Arnaud, who anticipates that authorization will be granted within the coming week.
The magistrate ordered that the case be sent back to the Criminal Court.
Yorgen Fenech is accused of complicity in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia who was blown up in a car bomb.
Fenech is pleading not guilty.
The compilation of evidence was initially concluded over two years ago but it was reopened following a decision by the Court of Criminal Appeal last October which noted that numerous experts set to testify during the trial did not do so in the compilation of evidence.
What do you make of this development?
READ NEXT: State Advocate Is ‘Taking Repubblika’s Side’ In Joseph Muscat’s Magistrate Case
