Former Economy Minister Chris Cardona allegedly used a secret middleman to pass on money to Alfred Degiorgio, one of the men charged with carrying out the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, middleman Melvin Theuma told the court.

Under questioning of lawyer Jason Azzopardi, Theuma said that either Yorgen Fenech or Johann Cremona showed him a photo of the alleged middleman. Cremona is the business partner of Fenech in the gaming company Best Play. Cremona is also a good friend of Theuma.

“Who was this person? Was this person  that allegedly passed on money from Cardona to Fulu?” Azzopardi asked.

“Yes. His name began with B. This was the middleman between Cardona and Fulu. I’m not sure who showed me that photo, whether Johann or Yorgen. But the police showed me that photo too,” Theuma replied.

The questions were related to an alleged €350,000 fee put towards the assassination that was revealed in secret recordings between Theuma and Fenech played to the court.

Theuma revealed another link between the Degiorgios and Cardona. He claimed that Alfred’s brother, Mario once mentioned David Gatt, who sent a message that if the Degiorgios pinned the blame on Cardona, he would kill them.

He also claimed that Gatt was meant to make available €400,000 to the Degiorgios for the trial by jury.

Azzopardi told the court that Gatt and Cardona share an office.

Cardona was the focus of a bulk of today’s sitting, with previous revelations that his number was the only one found on one of Alfred Degiorgio’s phones emerging once again.

Theuma claimed that Fenech said Cardona had a good relationship with Degiorgio and spoke to him regularly.

There were more sensational claims, with Theuma telling the court that Fenech also said Cardona had been admitted to hospital after suffering from an overdose.

“He was worried because of Daphne’s murder. Fenech told me he had swallowed some pills, and that is why he was admitted to the hospital. He’s quite sure of what he’s saying,” Theuma said.

Cardona was ousted as Economy Minister during last year’s political crisis after he was the subject of an alleged frame-up attempt over the murder. He was not retained in Prime Minister Robert Abela’s cabinet and recently stepped down as an MP. He is still the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.

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