The Prime Minister’s former Chief of Staff Keith Schembri sent a note to murder suspect Yorgen Fenech through their mutual doctor Adrian Vella, it was confirmed under oath today in court.

Lovin Malta exclusively broke the story on November 27th that doctor Adrian Vella had been arrested after Fenech told police about Schembri’s attempt to obstruct justice and condition his testimony.

The letter, which was also discussed in a late-night Cabinet meeting, allegedly instructed Fenech to pin the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia onto Economy Minister Chris Cardona.

Police Inspector Keith Arnaud testified in court today where he confirmed that Vella admitted to passing on the notes to Fenech. Vella had referred to hospital with chest pains.

Arnaud said the doctor told police that Schembri had handed them to him but that he didn’t even read them. He just put them in his jacket pocket and handed them over to Fenech. 

Arnaud also said that it was after Vella gave his statement that police felt they had enough evidence to arrest Schembri.

Schembri resigned from his post on November 26th, after Fenech began talking to the police.

Schembri has not yet been arraigned with involvement in the murder or complicity in its coverup. This morning he was arrested for failing to show up in court in a Constitutional case which Fenech filed to remove Arnaud from the murder investigation due to alleged closeness to Schembri.

Read the live blog from this morning’s court case here.