Live Blog: Day 14 of Yorgen Fenech’s Murder Trial Has Started

Welcome to our live coverage as the jury trial of Yorgen Fenech over the assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia continues with Day 14.

Proceedings are now underway before Madam Justice Edwina Grima at the Law Courts in Valletta, with Superintendent Nicholas Vella the first witness to take the stand as the prosecution continues presenting its case.

Today’s hearing is expected to focus on more technical evidence relating to the Bidnija crime scene and the early stages of the police investigation, in contrast to yesterday’s explosive proceedings, which saw convicted hitmen Alfred and George Degiorgio take the stand, culminating in Alfred’s arrest for refusing to testify and a series of dramatic allegations made by George.

Follow this page for live updates from inside the courtroom throughout the day and remember to refresh this page for the latest details.

Nearly €800,000 in cash recovered during searches of Theuma-linked properties

10:28am- SuperintendentVella continues presenting details of the searches carried out following Melvin Theuma’s arrest, including significant amounts of cash recovered from several locations.

Hr confirms that at the Ħal Qormi residence where Cheyenne and Ryan lived, police recovered €112,304.40 in cash. Vella says this money formed part of the magisterial inquiry and has been exhibited as evidence in the ongoing criminal proceedings.

At the Żurrieq residence linked to Theuma and his partner, investigators found €550,207.07 in cash, along with additional foreign currency (British pounds, US dollars and Swedish kroner). These funds were also included in the inquiry and exhibited in the criminal case.

Vella says around €2,000 in cash was also found on Charmaine, Theuma’s partner, and this too was exhibited in court.

A further €132,445 was discovered inside a grocery bag belonging to Carmela Catania, Charmaine’s mother. Vella explains that Catania requested clarification from the inquiring magistrate regarding the money, and it was established that the funds came from an inheritance. She was subsequently allowed to take the money back.

The remaining cash recovered during the searches remains held as part of the court proceedings.

Vella also notes that proceedings involving Ryan Farrugia are still ongoing, while Charmaine and Cheyenne were found guilty in separate proceedings.

Police searched Theuma and family’s properties while he was being questioned

10:19am- Superintendent Nicholas Vella presents the inventory of items confiscated during the searches, which was also exhibited during the magisterial inquiry into leaks of sensitive information, also relating to the Daphne Caruana Galizia case.

The list includes a substantial amount of cash, several vehicles, keys and electronic devices.

The vehicles seized were a Kia Sportage, Nissan Leaf, Mercedes, Toyota Passo and a Jaguar.

10:10am- Vella tells the court that, while Melvin Theuma was inside the interrogation room, other police teams were carrying out searches at his residences.

Earlier during this trial, Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud testified that around €750,000 in cash had been seized during the operation.

At the time of Theuma’s arrest, other individuals were also held in custody, including his partner Charmaine, her daughter Cheyenne, and Cheyenne’s partner Ryan.

Vella says evidence was also gathered from searches carried out at several locations linked to Theuma and his partner, including properties in Mellieħa, Wied il-Għajn and Ħal Qormi. These searches were conducted by inspectors from the Criminal Investigations Department.

Jury shown footage of Melvin Theuma’s interrogation room as evidence box is opened

10:00am- The court is shown video footage of the moment police opened the sealed box that Melvin Theuma had carried with him throughout his arrest.

The footage shows Theuma inside the interrogation room, wearing a grey polo shirt and jeans, sitting opposite Duty Magistrate Gabriella Vella. He watches as investigators open the box for the first time in the presence of police officials and the Magistrate.

Superintendent Nicholas Vella tells the court that he personally seized the box from Theuma following his arrest and that, even during the operation, Theuma insisted on keeping it with him. The box was opened later that evening, at around 10pm.

Inside the box, police found an ice cream container containing several items, including three mobile phones, a Philips voice recorder, a USB cable and three USB devices – two red and one black.

Vella explains that one of the phones recovered from Theuma was placed inside a special pouch designed to isolate the device from external signals, preventing incoming or outgoing communication while preserving the evidence.

Police also found a bundle of papers held together with a rubber band. The documents contained screenshots of chats involving Yorgen Fenech, although Vella said he could not recall the contents of the conversations by memory (“Ma niftakarx eżatt di memoria”)

Jurors are also shown images being taken of the seized items by Inspector Charlo Casha, while Theuma remains seated and watches investigators carry out the procedure.

Melvin Theuma’s partner and her daughter were also arrested

09:55am- The Witness says that while Theuma was at the police depot trying to secure legal representation, officers notified Child Protection Services because both Theuma and his partner were under arrest, so no one was available to collect their kids from school.

Vella says Investigators later carried out additional searches at other properties owned by Theuma, including residences rented out to relatives and third parties, as the investigation continued.

The Inspector adds that Edgar Brincat (il-Ġojja) was also arrested during the operation given to his frequent contact with Theuma. However, searches of his property did not uncover anything of evidential value.

09:46am- Superintendent Nicholas Vella tells the jury that immediately after Melvin Theuma was arrested, he instructed another police team stationed in Wied il-Għajn to proceed to Theuma’s residence and arrest those present there, including his partner and her daughter.

Vella says he informed the duty magistrate that Theuma had been taken into custody, prompting a series of court-authorised searches.

He explains that a Europol expert was appointed to assist investigators with the seizure, preservation and examination of electronic devices recovered during the operation.

Police also carried out searches at Theuma’s Marsascala premises, where they confiscated several electronic devices, including mobile phones. Officers also searched a nearby garage, where they recovered material believed to be linked to illegal gaming activities and suspected money laundering.

“I want a lawyer from the Nationalist Party,” Melvin Theuma allegedly told Police upon arrest

09:42am- Vella explained that during the arrest, Melvin Theuma told police about a box, saying, “I always carry it with me”.

Theuma stressed the box’s vitality to the suspect who said, “it’s very important to me”.

Police informed him that the box would be seized, sealed and preserved as part of the evidence.

The witness details how Theuma then requested legal assistance, and was adamant that they came from the “opposite side” of the political spectrum, naming lawyers Simon Busuttil, Jason Azzopardi and Karol Aquilina as possible options.

“I want a lawyer from the Nationalist Party,” (“mill-kamp oppost”),Theuma immediately told police, according to Vella.

The witness also says Theuma asked to speak to someone he referred to as “Inspector Arnold” within the police force. Investigators later understood this to be a reference to Inspector Keith Arnaud.

“Alarm bells rang… We had to change the arrest plans”

09:27am- Vella details how the intelligence team had been monitoring Melvin Theuma, who was suspected of running an illegal betting operation from a premises in Marsascala that he regularly visited each week- specifically on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

However, Vella says police received intelligence that Theuma had unexpectedly failed to turn up at the location on one particular Wednesday, “something that was entirely out of his routine”, and were informed that he was preparing to relocate the operation.

“This particular movement rang alarm bells… it wasn’t sitting right with me” (“ċertu movement li mhux idoqqli”)

Faced with the possibility of losing track of him, investigators decided to bring forward the arrest.

“This was evidence which showed that the planned arrest operation could be compromised, so I decided that the arrest had to happen today,” Vella said.

He went on to say that he informed Inspector Keith arnaud who “was aware that given the unexpected changes to the plan,” Vella didn’t have a team to conduct the arrest and raids, and helped him out by giving him some people from the homicide team.

Using localisation data, police identified Theuma’s movements on the day of the operation. While he was in the Attard area, a team led by Keith Arnaud was deployed to the Marsascala premises.

Theuma was later tracked travelling towards his residence in Żurrieq, where officers intercepted and arrested him. Police then carried out searches on his person, his vehicle and his home.

Vella said that Melvin Theuma was “surprise” at the arrest and “clearly didn’t expect it to happen on that day”.

Melvin Theuma’s money laundering-related arrest

09:13am- Vella tells the court that he formed part of the money laundering police investigation which led to middleman Melvin Theuma’s arrest on 16th November, 2019.

He explains tells the Jury that his role was to map out a clearer picture of Theuma’s financial dealings by gathering intelligence on suspect’s financial activity. This involved gathering information from the Commissioner for Revenue and local banks, to build a clearer picture of his financial dealings.

According to Vella, investigations spanned around two months and after they compiled enough evidence, they could go ahead with planning the arrest and getting the necessary arrest warrants.

Superintendent Nicholas Vella Takes The Stand

09:08am- The day has kicked off with where we left off yesterday afternoon- Superintendent Nicholas Vella has just entered the courtroom to continue his testimony.

Yesterday, Vella told the Jury that he was serving as a police inspector stationed in Mosta at the time of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination and was among the first officers dispatched to the Bidnija bombing scene on 16 October 2017. He has been leading the jury through the initial police response to the explosion, including the securing of the crime scene, the identification of the victim, and the early stages of the investigation under the direction of the inquiring magistrate. His evidence is expected to continue focusing on the forensic and investigative work carried out in the immediate aftermath of the murder.

What happened yesterday?

Day 13 of Yorgen Fenech’s murder trial was dominated by the testimony of convicted hitmen Alfred and George Degiorgio, producing one of the most dramatic days of proceedings so far.

The day began with a procedural dispute, as the defence criticised the prosecution for giving less than 16 hours’ notice that it intended to call George and Alfred Degiorgio, as well as Superintendent Nicholas Vella. Judge Edwina Grima ruled that, where reasonably possible, both sides should provide 48 hours’ notice of witnesses and documentary evidence, while stressing that this was a case-management measure rather than a legal obligation.

Criminology professor Saviour Formosa was the first witness, presenting a detailed 3D reconstruction of the Bidnija crime scene created using laser scanning technology.

Alfred Degiorgio then took the stand but refused to answer substantive questions. Before taking his oath, he attempted to make an unsolicited statement naming former minister Chris Cardona, former chief of staff Keith Schembri and lawyer David Gatt, before being stopped by the judge. Throughout his testimony, he insisted he feared for his family’s safety and declined to answer questions despite repeated warnings that he was legally obliged to testify. Judge Grima ultimately ordered his arrest for refusing to give evidence.

His brother, George Degiorgio, gave a far more confrontational testimony. He told the court he would only answer questions about an alleged 2015 plot to kill Daphne Caruana Galizia and not the 2017 assassination itself. During hours of evidence, he made a series of allegations involving Chris Cardona, Keith Schembri, lawyer David Gatt and Melvin Theuma concerning the alleged abandoned 2015 plot and the events leading up to the murder. Those allegations remain unproven and have been denied by those implicated.

George also repeatedly clashed with prosecutor Godwin Cini, who challenged him on inconsistencies between his current evidence and previous statements. Degiorgio accused investigators of ignoring information he claimed to have previously provided and said he had intended not to answer any questions from the prosecution.

The day’s evidence concluded with Superintendent Nicholas Vella, who described arriving at the Bidnija crime scene shortly after the car bomb explosion, finding the destroyed vehicle, confirming the victim’s death with medical personnel and beginning the initial stages of the police investigation.

Vella is expected to continue his testimony today.

The prosecution is being led by lawyers Godwin Cini, Anthony Vella and Danika Vella from the Office of the Attorney General, assisted by Assistant Police Commissioner Keith Arnaud and Inspector Kurt Zahra. Fenech is represented by lawyers Charles Mercieca, Gianluca Caruana Curran and Giannella de Marco, while the Caruana Galizia family is participating in the proceedings as parte civile, represented by lawyers Therese Comodini Cachia and Jason Azzopardi.

We’ll bring you the latest testimony and key developments from inside the courtroom as they happen. Refresh this page for live updates throughout the day.

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Clara Sciberras

Clara is a lawyer, actor, singer and journalist passionate about storytelling. She joined prime-time TV programme Xarabank in 2019 as a producer, beginning her journey in local media. With a focus on social justice, law and politics, she tries to bring curiosity, creativity and a touch of humour to the stories she tells.