Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and his chief of staff Keith Schembri were informed that The Times of Malta was set to reveal the names of Yorgen Fenech and Melvin Theuma in their “major businessman” article published a month before their eventual arrest.

Chief Homicide Inspector Keith Arnaud confirmed under oath that he had directly intervened to ensure that all details of the story did not reach publication, given that it could have prejudiced their investigation.

However, during today’s sitting, he revealed that he directly informed Castille of the fact in a briefing shortly after.

On 6th October 2019, The Sunday Times of Malta ran a story claiming investigators were closing in on a major businessman, a person connected with the gambling scene and another with the smuggling underworld, as the masterminds of the murder.

The major businessman, it would be revealed a month and a half later, was none other then Tumas Group magnate Yorgen Fenech. Meanwhile, Theuma is known to have run an illicit gambling network. The smuggler is yet to be identified.

Arnaud was testifying in Yorgen Fenech’s case to have him removed from the Caruana Galizia investigation.

Fenech has testified that the Prime Minister’s former Chief of Staff Schembri kept him regularly updated on the investigation and that the information was coming straight from Arnaud, an allegation that Schembri has denied.

This briefing follows a long line of irregular meetings Malta’s police held with the Office of the Prime Minister to keep them updated in investigations.

Arnaud has confirmed under oath that he, along with former deputy police commissioner Silvio Valletta, informed Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Schembri that the arrests of the three men charged with the assassination were imminent.

This, Arnaud said, happened the “Wednesday or Thursday” before the arrest in December 2017.

The same day, Melvin Theuma has confirmed to the courts, Fenech told him of the upcoming arrest, and in turn, informed the Degiorgio brothers and Vince Muscat.

Meanwhile, both Schembri and Muscat were informed of Fenech and Theuma’s involvement at least a whole year before their arrest. Neither told police they enjoyed a close relationship with Fenech.