Yorgen Fenech Charged With Trying To Obtain Banned Weapons, But Not Cyanide
Yorgen Fenech, the alleged mastermind of the plot to murder Daphne Caruana Galizia, was back in court today to be charged with attempting to purchase banned weapons back in November 2018.
Fenech was arrested a year later, in November 2019, over his alleged role in the assassination. He denies the charges and has been kept behind bars since his arrest.
The businessman was today charged with two crimes: attempting to purchase weapons banned by the Arms Act and attempting to do so without being in possession of a license.
Fenech is understood to have paid for the weapons using Bitcoin, but it is unclear whether they were ever delivered to him.
While the law lists several forms of weapons that are illegal to possess, or which require one to possess a licence to do so, the law makes no mention of poisons, suggesting that the purchase isn’t one that the police are going to be pursuing.
According to the prosecution, Fenech had made various attempts to purchase weapons and explosives between the time that he was revealed to be the owner of the company 17 Black and his arrest in November 2019.
Deputy Attorney General Philip Galea Farrugia last week told the court that Fenech had attempted to buy two grenades, two Glock pistols, a Skorpion automatic pistol and some 700 rounds of ammunition in November 2018.
Fenech was last week formally called upon to stand trial for his alleged role in masterminding the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia as well as for criminal conspiracy.
In court last week, the lead inspector in the case Keith Arnaud said that from information obtained from communications on Fenech’s phone, it was clear that he was planning to leave Malta and relocate to the US.
The communications have also revealed various attempts at cashing cheques linked to 17 Black, as well as attempts by Fenech to hack an unnamed individual’s phone.
The police are also understood to be questioning Tumas Gaming COO Patrick Demanuele, as well as a certain Anthony Farrugia in connection with Fenech’s activities.
Demanuele is understood to have made arrangements for Fenech to have access to large sums of money in cash, while Farrugia is believed to have been involved in Fenech’s Bitcoin purchases.
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