Former Deputy Police Commissioner Silvio Valletta was at an intimate late-night dinner party with Yorgen Fenech after the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, middleman Melvin Theuma has told the court.

“Once I went to Fenech’s Haz-Zebbug farmhouse in the morning. And Fenech was cooking cannelloni. It was a small portion, so I knew there wouldn’t be many people. We spoke about the Daphne case.”

“He asked me to go get bread, and as I was walking back in, I saw through a narrow opening in the door that there was Silvio Valletta,” Theuma told the court earlier today.

Fenech later told Theuma that Valletta recognised him and that he was known to the police.

“I asked Fenech what he meant by this – I didn’t know Valletta from Adam – I only knew him from the TV. So, being told this, I knew a betrayal would take place,” he continued.

Theuma also told the court that Fenech said PN Leader Adrian Delia had gone for dinner at the farmhouse. However, Theuma said that Fenech may have been overstating the claim.

Valletta, who is referred to as “Valletta l-oħxon” in Theuma’s secret recordings of Fenech, was leading the case into the assassination until he was forcibly removed by court order.

He was the one who set up unprecedented briefings on the investigation with former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and his chief of staff Keith Schembri, which continued right up until Fenech’s and Theuma’s arrest.

Valletta also had an intimate relationship with Fenech, going abroad with him one at least two occasions. Meanwhile, there is a video of Valletta “fooling around” in Fenech’s Rolls Royce.

His wife, Justyne Caruana, was made to resign as Gozo Minister following the reveal. However, she has stayed on as an MP.

Other recordings indicate that Valletta may have passed sensitive information on the Caruana Galizia investigation and other crucial details, including Vince Muscat’s pardon request, to Fenech.

The sitting continues on Monday 8th June at 10am.

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