Former Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar is back on the frontlines of activists’ calls for justice following yesterday’s shocking revelations, with a banner that had first appeared two and a half years ago returning to Valletta… this time just outside Malta’s Law Courts.

Moments before the monthly vigils for murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia resumed in front of the capital’s Great Siege Memorial, activist group Repubblika went live on Facebook, showing the return of the banner as it was hung on the gates by the gates of the Law Courts.

“Next stop Lawrence Cutajar. Court,” a photo showing the end result stated.

The large banner has been a staple of protests calling for justice in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder case, even appearing in a protest held mere days after the 2017 assassination, where Cutajar’s image was pelted with coins, tomatoes, and pastizzi, as the crowd jeered and shouted insults.

Yesterday evening, following a sensational nine-hour sitting, Magistrate Rachel Montebello launched an immediate criminal investigation against the former Police Commissioner over his potential involvement in leaks from the Daphne Caruana Galizia case.

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

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

In recent sittings, Theuma said that Cutajar had asked Theuma’s close friend Edgar Brincat about the existence of secret recordings in a meeting to sort out a fine.

Cutajar confirmed this version with Lovin Malta, saying that investigators were made aware of the meetings. This was also confirmed by Brincat in today’s sitting. 

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 immediately handed a government €31,000 part-time consultancy contract with the Home Affairs Ministry upon his resignation.

Cutajar has since been suspended from his government consultancy role until “the facts are clarified”.

What do you make of this?