The Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Keith Schembri is mentioned several times in phone recordings between main suspect Yorgen Fenech and his alleged middleman Melvin Theuma, who has been granted a presidential pardon to reveal what he knows about the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

It is not yet clear how incriminating these recordings may be for Schembri but his name does make him a person of interest in the murder investigation.

The recordings were allegedly found when Theuma was arrested, just days before Fenech attempted to escape Malta in his yacht.

Police are also allegedly in possession of a photo of Schembri and Theuma taken at Castille. Theuma was given a job at a ministry for some months, Lovin Malta is informed.

Sources say Fenech – who has yet to be arraigned and has requested his own presidential pardon – is prepared to testify against Schembri.

Lovin Malta yesterday reported that the police received fresh information linking Keith Schembri to various corruption scandals.

Meanwhile, Net News reported yesterday that Schembri held a late night meeting with Joseph Muscat at the Prime Minister’s house.

Muscat, who has defended Schembri since he was implicated in the Panama Papers three years ago, is the top decision maker when it comes to whether or not to grant Fenech a pardon for turning state evidence.

His role as de facto chief investigation spokesperson and negotiator has come under heavy scrutiny due to his closeness to Schembri.

Schembri is on record admitting that the secret Dubai company 17 Black (which belongs to prime suspect Yorgen Fenech) was listed as a potential client in draft business plans for Schembri’s Kasco business group. A leaked email from financial advisory firm Nexia BT named 17 Black and another Dubai company called Macbridge, whose owner remains unknown, as two companies which were planning to transfer €5,000 a day into the Panama companies of Schembri and Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi. 

Schembri remains the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff till this day.