State witness Melvin Theuma broke down in court today when recounting his role in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, comparing his own emotional suffering with the journalist’s actual murder.

“My life ended at 3pm on 16th October 2017,” Theuma said, referring to the date and time Caruana Galizia was killed in a car bomb, as relatives of the late journalist watched on.

When the Caruana Galizia family’s lawyer Jason Azzopardi pointed out that Caruana Galizia had died that day, Theuma responded “u jien daqsha” (“me too… just as much as her”).

Theuma has been given a conditional pardon to reveal all he knows about the murder, and has said that he only has evidence implicating Yorgen Fenech, although he suspects the former Prime Minister’s chief of staff Keith Schembri had a part to play too.

At a public inquiry looking into Caruana Galizia’s murder today, Theuma said he was so convinced of what he was saying that he was ready to ask the President of the Republic to give him the death penalty if it turned out anyone besides Fenech ever gave paid him for the murder.