Kenneth Cammileri, the former security official of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and his office, has confirmed with police that former chief of staff Keith Schembri had ordered him to calm down Melvin Theuma, the middleman in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Lovin Malta had reported in September 2020 that Camilleri had told police that Schembri told him to meet Theuma sometime in 2018, following the arrests of Vince Muscat, George Degiorgio, and Alfred Degiorgio. A WhatsApp message was even found from Schembri telling him to “calm down” Theuma. 

Today, the Times of Malta reports that Camilleri has confirmed the detail to investigators. Camilleri, however, insists that he was not aware of Theuma’s involvement in the pot, telling police that he believed it could have been politically related. 

However, last September, he confirmed to police that he was informed of the plot to bail out the three men charged with carrying out the murder. However, he said it was Theuma who brought up the issue.

Theuma has said under oath that he first met Camilleri in June 2018 – where he asked Theuma to provide €1 million for each man for their bail request. He believes that Camilleri took a phone call with Schembri during the meeting. However, this cannot be confirmed.

Camilleri has confirmed to the public inquiry into the assassination that he met with Theuma on four occasions. However, he told the court that he never told Schembri he was meeting Theuma. 

In separate testimonies, Johann Cremona confirmed at least three meetings between Camilleri and Theuma.

Cremona said that sometime in June 2018, he received a call from Camilleri who wanted to meet with Theuma.

Cremona and Camilleri went to Theuma’s home. Theuma and Camilleri had the meeting on their own, while Cremona went to meet his father. This was when the bail plot was first raised.

He also confirmed that the next day, Camilleri visited him and Theuma while they were at Cremona’s property in Qormi. There he brought out a piece of paper with three mobile numbers written on it, one of which was his [Theuma’s] old mobile number.

A third meeting took place in Valletta two days later. Cremona heard Theuma tell Camilleri “sort out bail for them” [irranġalhom għall bail], but that’s all.

Schembri and Camilleri remain under criminal investigation for their alleged role in the murder or its cover-up. Fenech claims that it was Schembri who masterminded the plot. Theuma has also told the court that Fenech said he would receive crucial leaks from the investigation from Schembri and former Deputy Police Commissioner Silvio Valletta.

Meanwhile, both Fenech and doctor-come-messenger Adrian Vella have said that Schembri passed on messages while the former was under police bail. These letters allegedly form part of a plot to frame former minister Chris Cardona.

Schembri is currently facing charges as part of a money laudnering and corruption investigation.

What do you think of the update?