Melvin Theuma, the self-confessed middleman who linked Yorgen Fenech to the men who murdered Daphne Caruana Galizia, took the witness stand on Friday – a key witness in Fenech’s trial by jury.
Theuma, whose presidential pardon in 2019 unlocked the murder investigation, began his testimony with an apology to Daphne Caruana Galizia’s family before recounting how his close relationship with Fenech eventually drew him into the plot to assassinate the journalist.
Theuma described how he came to know Fenech through horse racing and gambling before becoming one of the businessman’s closest associates.
He testified that he “adored” Fenech and would “do anything for him”. He explained that he worked as a taxi driver for Fenech, who gave him a sought-after spot at Portomaso. He accompanied Fenech on trips abroad and even drove him and his family to the funeral of Fenech’s father. He described Fenech as someone he viewed as “Malta’s champion” who mixed with the country’s most influential figures.
According to Theuma, the conspiracy began several weeks before the 2017 general elections.
He recalled meeting Fenech outside the Blue Elephant restaurant at Portomaso, where, he claimed, Fenech asked him to find someone to kill Caruana Galizia because she was about to publish information about “Uncle Ray”.
Theuma said he contacted Alfred Degiorgio through Darren Debono, known as “it-Topo“, and arranged a meeting at the Marsa potato shed.
“I told him I had someone who wanted to kill Daphne Caruana Galizia,” Theuma testified, media reports confirm.
Two days later, Degiorgio allegedly quoted a price of €150,000, including a €30,000 advance. Theuma said he relayed the figure to Fenech, who told him he would think about it. However, after the electoral campaign was announced, Fenech instructed him to halt the plan.
Theuma said he returned to Alfred Degiorgio and paid him €2,000 from his own pocket “not to lose face”, telling jurors that Degiorgio described him as “a stand-up guy” and asked to be contacted if the plan was revived.
The witness also testified about his meeting with Keith Schembri at Castille. He told the court that shortly after informing Fenech of the €150,000 price, Fenech told him that then-Office of the Prime Minister official Sandro Craus would contact him. Craus allegedly arranged a meeting with Schembri at Castille, where Theuma said he was given a tour of the Prime Minister’s offices before being taken to Schembri’s office.
According to Theuma, Craus even took a photograph of the pair together and another of him beside a portrait of former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff.
Theuma said that Schembri later directed him to a government ministry opposite the old Opera House to meet a man named Tony Muscat, who was supposedly going to offer him a government job.
Theuma said he rejected the proposal, telling the court he had no intention of giving up his taxi business for a government position. He told the court that the government official he met said he would be paid but did not need to turn up for work.
After betting €150,000 on Labour winning the 2017 elections, Fenech allegedly called Theuma on the day the results were announced and said to go ahead with the job of killing Caruana Galizia. He said Fenech was pressing him every few days to get the job done and had a bottle of champagne ready to open. Fenech insisted she must be killed, not injured.
Theuma described his anxiety and state of mind and said he reached out to Caruana Galizia’s sons: “I text Matthew and Paul [two of Daphne’s sons]. I don’t have the words to thank them. I was involved in their mother’s murder, and they speak to me. They tell me I will feel better after the trial. But I know I won’t. The remorse is too great,” The Times of Malta reports.
Fenech was getting information from former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri and former assistant commissioner Silvio Valletta. Fenech knew about developments in the investigation, including the police raid on the potato shed in Marsa on 5 December.
The trial continues.
