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Jonathan Ferris And The Former MFSA Chairman Will Testify This Week, With The Yorgen Fenech Case Also Set To Continue

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Be prepared for another gripping week in court with a series of testimonies in the public inquiry into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and the continuation of the police’s case against Yorgen Fenech.

With Lovin Malta covering each sitting live, here’s a look at the key dates and times you need to look out for.

1. Former MFSA Head Joe Bannister faces the public inquiry

Monday 27th January at 2pm

The former Chairman of the MFSA Joe Bannister is set to face challenging questions over his tenure in front of the public inquiry.

Bannister’s role had come into question at the height of the 2017 election campaign when serious questions were raised following a damning report by the FIAU into Pilatus Bank.

A lack of action with regards to the controversial Nexia BT has also been a point of criticism.

Meanwhile, he was also involved in the Paradise Papers after the reveal he held a directorship in a company based in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) in 2007, while he was already chairman of the MFSA.

2. Jonathan Ferris testifies

Wednesday 29th January 2020 at 2pm

The former FIAU investigator Jonathan Ferris, who has been longed tied to the Egrant claims, will get his chance to testify before the public inquiry on Wednesday 29th January at 2pm.

Ferris claims he had been fired from the government’s anti-money laundering agency (FIAU) after he started to look into reports by Daphne Caruana Galizia that the Panama company Egrant was owned by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s wife

However, he later backtracked from this claim, while maintaining that his dismissal was political.

Meanwhile, he had also told the Egrant inquiry that it was former EU Commissioner John Dalli who told him that ‘Egrant’ stood for ‘Election Grant’.

Ferris said this happened before he left the police corps and informed Dalli that the investigation into his role in a Ponzi scheme would be assigned to a superintendent. Dalli’s daughters are currently in court over the case.

3. Compilation Of Evidence Against Yorgen Fenech

Thursday 30th January 2020 at 10am

After a long month, the police’s case against Yorgen Fenech will continue on Thursday 30th January at 10am.

The police have presented their case. However, middleman Melvin Theuma is set to continue his testimony in this case, with crucial recordings he took of Yorgen Fenech yet to be played in court.

Fenech has pleaded not guilty to charges and already has had had a bail request turned down by Magistrate Rachel Montebello, citing concerns that he could escape, tamper with evidence, and that granting him bail could create civil unrest.

Expect Fenech to continue making attempts to acquire bail. However, it seems unlikely until Theuma has provided all details to the court.

The sitting has made crucial details on the case public, including Schembri’s lost phone, his unguarded Castille office, an escape plan, and the infamous Chris Cardona frame-up letter among others.

With Theuma’s recordings set to be played in full, expect more sensational details to emerge, namely the extent of Schembri’s potential involvement in the murder.

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Julian is the former editor of Lovin Malta and has a particular interest in politics, the environment, social issues, and human interest stories.

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