Malta’s former police commissioner Lawrence Cutajar has stood by his decision to ask a close associate of state witness Melvin Theuma about the existence of secret recordings without informing the investigative team in the Daphne Caruana Galizia case beforehand, dismissing all the other claims of leaking crucial information.

Cutajar, who is now subject to a criminal investigation, has confirmed that he met with Theuma’s close friend Edgar Brincat about the existence of secret recordings in a meeting to sort out a fine. However, he was adamant that he had informed the entire team after the meeting had drawn to a close. 

“The entire investigative team knew I spoke to him. That includes Chief Homicide Inspector Keith Arnaud and Inspector Kurt Zahra,” Cutajar told Lovin Malta in an interview. 

However, despite the breach, Cutajar said that the investigative team did not raise concerns over the meeting.

“I don’t know if they were angry. They were not disappointed that I had done it and did not raise any issue,” he said. 

Asked how he was made aware of the recordings if he was just “a small part of the investigation” as he suggested, Cutajar said:

“The entire investigative team, Europol, and the Attorney General’s Office all knew that the recordings might exist through phone intercepts. It was discussed openly around a table, it certainly was not a secret.”

“When Brincat contacted me, I knew I had an opportunity to ask. We finally had the chance to know whether or not the recordings existed and where they were. Ultimately, he told me he did not know.”

“It was a big reason why I pushed for investigators to pursue money laundering charges against Theuma – at least like that we would have definitely had something to investigate.”

“Believe me, I was one of the happiest people when we found the recordings. I had shouldered the responsibility to pursue the case like this, and I was happy we found them.”

Cutajar even went on to categorically dismiss any suggestions of wrongdoing in maybe unintentionally leaking information on the case. 

“I did not put the case in danger in any way,” he repeatedly insisted when confronted with the question.

Cutajar was asked how he even trusted Brincat with such delicate information but insisted that he knew the recordings were far too valuable to Theuma to be deleted.

Earlier today, Johann Cremona, the business partner of Fenech and confidante of middleman Melvin Theuma, claimed that Cutajar allegedly informed Theuma that Europol knew of the secret recorded conversations between him and main suspect Yorgen Fenech, even asking Theuma if he could listen to them before his arrest.

Cremona said that Cutajar even informed Theuma about a money-laundering investigation.

This was dismissed entirely by Cutajar, sticking with his own version of events. He said that on his first meeting, he had spoken about the potential existence on the recordings. During the second, he told Brincat that he could not help him out with the fine. 

Despite his vociferous denial, Cutajar said he does not believe either Melvin Theuma or Johann Cremona have lied under testimony.

“Even Theuma said he doesn’t know me personally. I do not exclude that he used to say certain things to Cremona, so I do not think he’s lying either when he says what he was told.”

However, Cutajar could not fully explain why Theuma would overstate the relationship when speaking to Cremona.

“I never met or spoke to Melvin Theuma. I do not know him.”

Cutajar explained that he knew Brincat for close to 30 years. However, he later told Lovin Malta that he knew Theuma and Brincat were good friends.

“When I was the Superintendent of Ħal Qormi, I would go down to Marsa every so often. They used to work as bookmakers, and I knew of them,” said.

Cutajar was removed from his post as Police Commissioner earlier this year. He was subject to criticism from activists who believed he failed to tackle major corruption issues. Cutajar was handed the government consultancy upon his resignation.

Cutajar’s government consultancy has been terminated following the news of the investigation.

 Lovin Malta will publish more details about the interview in the coming days.

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