Investigations into the former Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Keith Schembri and his links to the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia are being pursued in “an active, yet cautious” manner, the Acting Police Commissioner has confirmed.

Speaking to The Malta Independent, Acting Commissioner Carmelo Magri also revealed that Europol will continue assisting in the case. He last met with Europol officers face-to-face in February. However, they have been unable to visit due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and have been holding weekly videoconference meetings instead. Resources have also been improved.

“I am honestly convinced that these investigations will be successfully concluded in the near future,” Magri said.

“You can rest assured that all investigations are still being actively pursued. Just because we’re in the middle of a pandemic does not mean that regular police work has stopped,” he said in relation to the Caruana Galizia investigation and other major cases.

Schembri has hung over the case like a shroud, heavily featuring during court sittings, in particular during middleman Melvin Theuma’s secret recordings of Fenech.

Fenech has described a “fraternal” relationship with Schembri to the courts. Schembri has even confirmed under oath that they were friends and had also holidayed together on occasion.

The pair would reportedly share telephone conversation daily.

Fenech has claimed that he was fed information on the investigation directly from Schembri and others, including former Deputy Police Commissioner Silvio Valletta. These details included the arrest of the three men charged with carrying out the murder, a potential pardon, and that their phones were wiretapped.

Schembri’s claims under oath that he helped coordinate the FBI’s involvement in the investigation has been disputed.

During a court sitting, Chief Homicide Inspector Keith Arnaud said Schembri is under investigation with a litany of other offences which include:

Tampering with evidence, leaking extensive information about the investigation, obstructing justice, and acquiring a phantom job for middleman Melvin Theuma.

He was set to face cross-examination in the police’s case against Fenech on 27th March 2020. However, with the courts closed following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Malta, this was delayed.