The Prime Minister’s former Chief of Staff Keith Schembri has been placed under arrest after the revelation that the middleman in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, Melvin Theuma, was given a phantom government job just days after arranging the price for the murder.

Schembri was taken in for questioning on Sunday morning. Earlier this week, Theuma revealed that he was given a no-work government job after meeting Schembri and OPM Head of Customer Care Sandro Craus at Castille.

Documents proving his employment and a photo fo Schembri and Theuma at Castilla have so far been published.

The job with the Family Ministry’s  Housing Maintenance and Embellishment Company, Lovin Malta has revealed, paid Theuma around €1200 per month.

“I still have no idea what that job was,” Theuma told the court.

It remains to be seen why Schembri was arrested on the issue now. Police have been in possession of a note written by Theuma which revealed the government job for close to two weeks.

Schembri has been arrested and released multiple times in connection with the assassination. On Thursday 28th November, he was released without charge, despite the serious allegations levelled against him.

In court, Yorgen Fenech, who has been charged in connection with the crime, detailed his close relationship with Schembri, claiming that Schembri has provided him with sensitive information in the case, including the date and time of the arrest of the three men charged with carrying out the murder.