Yorgen Fenech, the main suspect in the Daphne Caruana Galizia assassination, allegedly offered the Nationalist Party money to ensure that MEP David Casa was not re-elected in 2019.

Middleman-turned-state-witness Melvin Theuma told the public inquiry that Fenech revealed the offer when the pair were discussing secret Dubai-company 17 Black.

“He once told me how David Casa was hounding him over 17 Black. He said that he had offered money to the PN to see that he is not elected,” Theuma said.

Last year, former radio host and current MP David Thake claimed on Xarabank that Fenech had offered the PN €50,000 to ensure Casa was not reelected to the European Parliament. Fenech threatened to sue Thake for libel but never followed up on this threat.

This is not the first time Fenech has been linked to the PN. A meeting with PN MPs Kirsty Debono and Hermann Schiavone has never been fully explained. Meanwhile, it’s been revealed that Fenech also had a boozy meal with Leader Adrian Delia. However, Delia insists this was before the 17 Black reveal.

Fenech’s company, 17 Black, was named as the “target client” for the Panama companies belonging to former Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi and former chief of staff Keith Schembri.

A report by the FIAU found that 17 Black had received at least three payments – one of €161,000 from Maltese local agent for the tanker supplying gas to the LNG power station and two separate payments amounting to €1.1 million from Baratzada through ABLV Bank.

ABLV was recently raised in one of Latvia’s most extensive investigations into money laundering yet.

What do you think of the claim?