At court in Valletta, where today’s sitting in the public inquiry into the assassination of #DaphneCaruanaGalizia has been cancelled, but it looks like the scheduled hearing in the compilation of evidence against accused mastermind Yorgen Fenech will go ahead.
Yorgen Fenech has just entered the courtroom. Former police commissioner Lawrence Cutajar is waiting outside - he’s expected to testify as a witness today.
At the same time, across town there’s a police press conference being held on last night’s incident with Melvin Theuma - middleman and key witness in the case who remains hospitalised after being found in his home with a slit throat. Live blog here: lovinmalta.com/news/police-co…
Yorgen Fenech’s defence lawyers are arguing that Melvin Theuma panicked when he realised a recording evidencing Fenech’s involvement in the assassination of #DaphneCaruanaGalizia had been recovered. They want Theuma’s mobile to be presented to court; the magistrate has refused.
Things became quite lively and tense as Theuma’s lawyer argued Fenech’s defence were making statements about her client to fuel media reporting. The magistrate stated she had no right to speak in these proceedings.
The focus is currently on technical aspects of the recordings, as we hear testimony from a court-appointed expert.
There will be better coverage of the finer details in the Maltese press - @TheShiftNews @TheTimesofMalta @LovinMalta & @maltatoday all have journalists here. But the bigger picture is an attempt by Fenech’s defence to present their client as having been framed.
The atmospherics are very telling. Things are tense after last night’s developments. Fenech is mostly quiet, although was smiling when Theuma’s lawyer was speaking. His wife and brother are here. Several members of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s family are also present.
There is a heavy armed security presence inside and outside of the courtroom, and Malta’s director of prisons is also in attendance.
The lead police investigator in the case, Keith Arnaud, is now being cross-examined by the defence about the recording and Europol’s role.
Former police commissioner Lawrence Cutajar is now testifying as a witness summoned by the defence. He’s expected to give testimony on the terms of Theuma’s pardon, among other issues.
Cutajar is still being cross-examined by Fenech’s defence. The questioning has at times been quite heated, and has mostly centred around his interrogation of Theuma and the terms of the pardon negotiated - as well as whether a middleman paid Cutajar.
The question of the recordings has been extensively debated. The defence were keen to play excerpts as part of their questioning of Cutajar. The magistrate has ruled that context is needed, so the full 20-minute recordings will now be played whilst Cutajar steps outside.
It was decided that the recordings would be played in closed camera - so we are all waiting outside the courtroom. Relevant excerpts are expected to be played when the cross-examination of Cutajar continues.
While we wait, sharing this disturbing report on a noose found outside the courthouse this morning. newsbook.com.mt/en/warning-hun…
Still waiting outside the courtroom. Theuma’s lawyers have issued a statement responding to the claims made about him this morning by Fenech’s defence. There’s an English translation on @TheTimesofMalta’s live blog: timesofmalta.com/articles/view/…
Odd being stuck in the corridor with Fenech’s family and friends, as well as Cutajar. I keep thinking back to my first trip to Malta, when I couldn’t get a meeting with him and it became the source of national media attention.
Even odder sitting so close to Fenech himself in the tiny courtroom - which Daphne Caruana Galizia’s family are also forced to endure.
We’re back in after more than two hours. There are still procedural arguments being made related to the recordings. It’s still unclear whether more will be played today, and if Cutajar will be questioned further.
There’s another heated discussion with chief inspector Arnaud accusing Fenech’s defence lawyers of having a different attitude when media are present in the courtroom.
Another recording is being heard in closed camera - so we’ve been kicked out again. We don’t expect anything further to happen afterwards today. The next hearing in the compilation of evidence is set for 30 July.
