Neville Gafa Faces Public Inquiry Into Daphne Caruana Galizia Assassination Today, And Other Crucial Court Dates You Need To Know
Former OPM employee Neville Gafa will be testifying before the public inquiry into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination later on today, the first in a line of potentially explosive testimonies in court this week.
A controversial figure, Gafa will most likely face questions for his confrontational relationship with the journalist, and potentially a few others over his role in the previous administration.
Several OPM figures like Josef Caruana, Communications Head Matthew Carbone, Spokesperson Nigel Vella, and MP Glenn Bedingfield will also face questions on the inquiry during the week.
Meanwhile, middleman Melvin Theuma’s secret recordings of murder suspect Yorgen Fenech will be played in court during the police’s case against the Tumas Group businessman.
With Lovin Malta following each sitting live, here are the important dates in court this week you need to know:
1. Monday 17th February at 2pm: Neville Gafa testifies
Gafa was a controversial figure in former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s administration but resigned from his role as soon as Robert Abela was appointed, despite having attended his inauguration.
His role within the government was at often times unexplained, with dubious meetings with Leaders of the Libyan Militia as well as links to the medical visa scandal (which Gafa denies) generating controversy.
Meanwhile, his close relationship with Keith Schembri has also brought questions.
Gafa has only just come back to Malta after heading to Tunisia on 19th January, the day before former Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Keith Schembri, a personal friend of Gafa, boarded a similar flight.
Gafa and Caruana will most likely face questions for their alleged roles in several coordinated attempts to intimidate Caruana Galizia in the lead-up to her death.
Gafa had even uploaded a photo taken by a person stalking Daphne Caruana Galizia the day before her assassination.
“Kindly note also that I never filed any reports against Ms Caruana Galizia when on several occasions she published pictures of me and my family,” Gafa told Lovin Malta with regards to the photo.
2. Wednesday 19th February at 2pm: MP Glen Bedingfield and OPM Communications Team face questions
The communications team at the Office of the Prime Minister will face serious questions the following Wednesday in the public inquiry, over an incident at an impromptu press conference at Castille.
A group of unidentified men blocked journalists from leaving a press conference room after Muscat’s Muscat 3am press conference announcing that the cabinet had rejected a second request for a pardon from Yorgen Fenech.
Last week, journalist Monique Agius described the events to the board. Both Carbone and Vella had refused to identify the men the night of the press conference.
3. Thursday 20th February at 10am: Melvin Theuma’s recordings continue
Melvin Theuma’s secret recordings of Yorgen Fenech will continue on Thursday.
A former Deputy Police Commissioner, a retired judge, a former Prime Minister, and his chief of staff have been implicated so far. However, many questions remain, especially given Theuma’s fuzziness around dates and specific crucial details.
He will continue facing cross-examination while the recordings are played in open court. Theuma has proven to be a confrontational figure on the stand, with each slip up being picked up on by lawyers.
Around 60 recordings and 70 videos have been submitted to the courts, each one providing a unique insight into the murder plot and its leading players. Expect significant developments during the sittings.
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