Malta’s Cabinet of ministers has refused Yorgen Fenech’s request for a pardon in return for information, according to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.

Addressing a press conference at 3am after an urgent six-hour Cabinet meeting, Muscat said that Fenech, the main suspect in the investigation into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, had submitted two pardon requests since his arrest.

“On Sunday, after he gave his first version of events to police, the Attorney General and Police Commissioner recommended that I don’t give him a pardon. Afterward, Mr Fenech made another request for a pardon and I once again asked the Attorney General and Police Commissioner for advice. This time around, he made allegations with regards to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia and my ex-chief of staff, which were investigated by the police. Cabinet was informed that all other allegations are being actively investigated.”

“Fenech didn’t want Muscat to decide whether or not to grant him a pardon on the grounds that his judgment could be compromised by virtue of his closeness to Schembri, who has described the Prime Minister as his best friend. The Prime Minister, therefore, left the decision in the hands of his Cabinet, after the police commissioner and Attorney General made their arguments.”

“For this part of this meeting, I left the room and left the decision in the hands of my friends,” he said. “The Attorney General and Police Commissioner said that there aren’t enough reasons to grant Mr Fenech a pardon and Cabinet welcomed this decision unanimously.”

Fenech has also urged President George Vella to intervene in his pardon request, arguing that Cabinet is compromised too, on the grounds that his information also concerns their former colleagues Konrad Mizzi and Chris Cardona, both of whom stepped down earlier this week.

“I am aware that the President has received a letter with a third request for a pardon and I will leave the constitutional validity of this letter in the President’s hands,” Muscat said. “The government is committed to ensuring all allegations are investigated. A lot of speculation is going on but I’ll stick to the facts. My job is to make sure this case is closed under my watch.”

Muscat confirmed that Schembri won’t return to his side as his Chief of Staff anytime soon, following his release from police custody. He also denied a report by The Malta Independent that the Malta Security Services had told him to stop bringing his Chief of Staff along to security briefings.

As for calls for his resignation, Muscat said he understands that Malta is passing through a “period of anxiety”.

“It’s not an easy situation and I hope the investigators proceed with all investigations on all the allegations being made,” he said. “Everyone wants closure and, once we get it, we’ll take it from there.”