Malta’s Police have opened up an investigation into allegations that one of Yorgen Fenech’s lawyers bribed a Times of Malta journalist, Lovin Malta can reveal.

Fenech is currently facing charges in connection to the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Police told Lovin Malta that an investigation is on-going with no indication whether charges would be filed. 

Times of Malta journalist Ivan Martin flagged how Gianluca Caruana Curran offered him a set of €500 notes in return for favourable coverage towards his client. Charles Mercieca, another of Fenech’s defence lawyers, was also present in this meeting.

Caruana Curran confirmed that he offered “remuneration” to Martin in return for favourable coverage towards Yorgen Fenech, saying the journalist “led them to understand that we could use his services to help neutralise the bias in the reporting in the media.”

Although Martin has been working full-time with Times of Malta since 2013, the lawyer insisted he only found out about this when Martin told him so after rejecting the cash offer.

The incident has drawn widespread condemnation. Malta’s Chamber of Advocates has called for an investigation while the Institute of Maltese Journalist also lambasted the alleged attempt at bribery.

Jason Azzopardi, who represents the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia, has called for the Commission for the Administration of Justice to take “severe steps”. 

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