Keith Schembri allegedly phoned up Yorgen Fenech, the main suspect in the Daphne Caruana Galizia assassination, at least 30 times the day middleman-turned-state-witness Melvin Theuma was arrested.

In court earlier today, Inspector Kurt Zahra confirmed under questioning from lawyer Jason Azzopardi that Fenech revealed the information while under arrest in November 2019.

The calls were made through encrypted services like WhatsApp and Signal, meaning the calls are likely untraceable. However, Fenech’s wife was witness to the incessant calls. 

Zahra also revealed that Fenech claimed Schembri called him up right before his arrest in November 2019 and said he would need to speak to data providers to prove the claim.

“K told me all was clear,” Fenech said in a WhatsApp message that evening.

During the interrogation, Fenech pinned the murder plot on Schembri, who he said had wanted Caruana Galizia dead since 2014 for the trouble she was causing the government.

He said Schembri even forked out €85,000 to help fund the murder.

According to Fenech, Schembri contacted him every day until the murder was planned. When Fenech informed him that Theuma had discovered men who would carry out the murder, Schembri said:

“Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead.”

Schembri, Fenech said, was also involved in an alleged escape plot the week before Fenech’s eventual arrest.

“I’ll miss you,” Schembri allegedly told Fenech.

Schembri has hung over the case like a shroud with Fenech long claiming he would leak information on the case. Recently Vella confirmed that he passed on documents between Fenech and Schembri while the latter was under police bail for the murder.

The letters reportedly deal with an alleged frame-up attempt of Chris Cardona, which have been published by Lovin Malta. Vella said he recognised Fenech’s handwriting on the documents, but could not confirm with absolute certainty whether these were the documents he was handed.

Schembri has confirmed meeting Vella during the period messages were exchanged, but insists he didn’t write, send or deliver the note in question. However, Vella has told the court that Schembri was lying under oath. 

Vella has also confirmed to the courts that he called Schembri when police that were ready to arrest him were waiting for 15 minutes outside his home. He told the courts that during this period he deleted entire WhatsApp conversations. 

Schembri was first arrested in connection with the crime in November 2019. However, he was released without charge and is not currently under police bail.

He remains under investigation.

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