It has previously been revealed that Theuma, Cremona, and Fenech were aware of plans to arrest Theuma on money-laundering charges towards the end of 2019. They even knew details regarding raids police were planning to conduct on several properties registered under Theuma.

Recordings also show that Cremona told Theuma that Aquilina would be handling the arrest and ensure that police interrogation does not extend beyond money-laundering allegations.Theuma has also claimed in court that Fenech tried to assure him that a certain ‘Ray’ would be carrying out the arrest.

Theuma has told the courts that the arrival of a different officer was the driving force in him revealing all his information to Homicide Superintendent Keith Arnaud. Aquilina retired soon after Fenech’s arrest.

Aquilina is not the only officer facing such damning allegations. A magisterial inquiry into police leaks in the case has already been opened. But, court sittings have already revealed the intimate links between then-Deputy Commissioner Silvio Valletta and then-Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar and key players in the plot.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has been linked to the case ever since the arrest of his right-hand man Keith Schembri in connection to the murder.

He has been name-dropped as ‘Ix-Xih’ in recordings that have been played in court. Lovin Malta has also revealed that Muscat, Schembri, and Fenech shared a private WhatsApp group together – which Homicide Superintendent Keith Arnaud confirmed was closed a month before Fenech’s arrest.

Fenech has regularly claimed that he was fed information on the murder from Schembri – who was present from unprecedented security briefings Muscat had with the police force and other enforcement bodies over the murder. 

Lovin Malta has reached out to Muscat for comment.

Cremona, who is not under investigation for any involvement in the assassination plot or attempts to cover it up, has hung over this case like a shroud. 

Lovin Malta recently revealed that Cremona tried to convince Theuma into leaving Vince Muscat without funds and in the arms of a legal aid lawyer to prevent him from speaking up about key players in the assassination plot.

Theuma has also told the court several times that he would visit Cremona almost daily to confide in him over the case and unload the significant pressure he felt after the murder.

Meanwhile, it has already been revealed that there exist several recorded conversations between Theuma and Cremona – where the pair discuss leaks from the police force, Theuma’s imminent arrest, and Muscat’s attempts to secure a pardon.  Cremona was even the one who discussed Raymond Aquilina’s involvement in the arrests.

Beyond his relationships with Theuma and Fenech, Cremona also has ties to Kenneth Camilleri, the former OPM security guard with links to Keith Schembri. He has confirmed that he was the one to set up several meetings between Theuma and Camilleri, one of which detailed an attempted plot to get the three men charged with murder out on bail.

Theuma has since told the court that Cremona also claimed former minister Chris Cardona used two middlemen in the plot to assassinate Caruana Galizia;  and that freemasons were going to pay Vince Muscat €100,000 for the murder. 

On his part, Cremona has denied all wrongdoing – insisting he was just acting as a confidante for Theuma.