Former Deputy Police Commissioner and current husband to the Gozo Minister Silvio Valletta holidayed with Yorgen Fenech, the businessman charged in connection with the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The Times of Malta reports that on 29th September 2018, Valletta travelled to London with Fenech to watch Liverpool take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Fenech was first identified as a suspect in the case in May 2018.

Valletta was forced to step down from leading the investigation into the Caruana Galizia murder because of his relationship with a cabinet member following public pressure from activists and the courts. Valletta is the husband of Gozo Minister Justyne Caruana.

He was also made to walk away from his role at the FIAU, which was often criticised given the inaction on alleged money laundering cases involving top officials. Valletta had received the report naming Fenech as the owner of 17 Black, the company linked to Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri’s offshore web, while serving in the role.

The extent of Justyne Caruana’s relationship with Fenech is as yet unclear. However, several PN figures have called on her to explain.

Valletta told The Times that he paid for his flight and other expenses and that he had already stepped down when he went on the holiday.

While Valletta has stepped away from the investigation, his spectre looms large. Valletta was the one who started briefing both former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Keith Schembri on the investigation, in a move colleagues have described as highly irregular and unprecedented.

The meetings continued well after Valletta stepped down. However, it has been confirmed in court that both he and Keith Arnaud told Muscat and Schembri of the imminent arrests of the three men who allegedly carried out the crime, the same day Yorgen Fenech found out.