Adrian Vella, the arrested Fenech family doctor, is suspected of being the messenger between Yorgen Fenech and Keith Schembri.

Sources told Lovin Malta that Schembri was pressuring Fenech, a key suspect in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, not to expose him through Vella.

A Mater Dei hospital visit is believed to be tied with Schembri’s secret messaging service. Fenech has since told investigators of the link, which spurred on their arrest of Vella.

When contacted by Lovin Malta earlier this week, Vella insisted that he had no relationship whatsoever with Schembri. However, a quick look on his facebook page shows a wealth of photos of him promoting Rummo, the pasta brand owned by Schembri’s group of companies.

There are now some questions surrounding Melvin Theuma’s pardon and whether it was in any way compromised by Schembri, given that his name did not feature at all in the claims.

Lovin Malta has reported that Schembri, who has since resigned as the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, was one of the last people Yorgen Fenech called before he tried to flee Malta on his yacht last week.

Sources said the call was not a short one and is now the subject of further investigation. However, the newsroom is also informed that Schembri was in frequent contact with Fenech in the run-up to his arrest.

Sources believe Schembri was keeping Fenech informed of developments in the case.

Fenech was arrested early on Wednesday morning and news quickly spread that he was the mastermind behind the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

However, Fenech has since requested a presidential pardon and begun providing police with vital information that has already led to the arrest of Schembri, while Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi has resigned and Economy Minister Chris Cardona suspended.