Category Archives: Malta

Maltese journalist was killed over reporting on power plant, say police

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Detective tells court Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder was motivated by desire to suppress information

Police believe that the anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed for what she was about to reveal about a government-sponsored power station deal, a court in Malta has heard.

At the start of 2017, Caruana Galizia received a cache of 600,000 emails leaked from an energy company partly owned by Yorgen Fenech, who is now the chief suspect in the murder. The company, Electrogas, holds a lucrative concession to supply Malta’s state-owned electricity provider.

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Malta’s former PM questioned over Daphne Caruana Galizia murder inquiry

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Joseph Muscat formally interviewed for first time in connection with investigation

Malta’s former prime minister Joseph Muscat has been questioned by police in connection with the investigation into the murder of the anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Muscat resigned as leader of the EU member state in January after the widening political scandal surrounding the journalist’s death threatened to bring down his government.

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Daphne Caruana Galizia murder: middleman found with stab wounds ahead of court date

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Go-between in car bombing of Maltese journalist was found in pool of blood despite 24-hour police guard

The self-confessed middleman in the murder of the Maltese anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has suffered multiple knife injuries to his neck, torso and wrist, hours before he was due to give evidence in the case.

Melvin Theuma, a former taxi driver, was found in a pool of blood at his home on Tuesday evening and was rushed to hospital where he underwent surgery. He is in a stable condition, police said at a press conference on Wednesday morning.

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US drops charges against banker investigated by Daphne Caruana Galizia

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Family of murdered journalist call on Malta to prosecute Ali Sadr Hashemi Nejadin, whose Pilatus Bank was shut down for money laundering

The US department of justice has made an unusual decision to drop charges against a prominent Iranian banker who was convicted of bank fraud in March after prosecutors in New York said they did not have the resources to continue to prosecute the case on appeal.

The decision by the DOJ represents an extraordinary turn of events in an investigation that began in 2013 and was closely followed in Malta, where the defendant in the case controlled Pilatus Bank, which had ties to the country’s former prime minister, Joseph Muscat, and other top officials.

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Italy considers charges over Malta’s ‘shocking’ refusal to rescue migrants

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Foreign ministry condemns Valletta for not abiding by international rules and ordering stricken boat to Sicily at gunpoint

The Italian government  has confirmed that Malta’s armed forces turned a migrant boat away at gunpoint from Maltese waters, after giving them fuel and the GPS coordinates to reach Italy.

Police in Sicily are investigating and the prosecutor’s office may open an investigation against Malta in the next few days. Maltese officers risk being charged with aiding illegal immigration. 

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Belgium confirms inquiry into Malta-China spy threat

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Investigation centres on claims Beijing has spied on EU from Malta’s embassy in Brussels

Malta’s ties to China have come under the spotlight after Belgium’s intelligence services confirmed they have been investigating suspicions that Beijing has been spying from the country’s embassy opposite the European commission’s headquarters in Brussels.

A spokesman for Belgium’s homeland security service, the Veiligheid van de Staat, made the unusual disclosure about the existence of the inquiry after the French newspaper Le Monde reported on the suspected espionage by the Chinese state.

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Exclusive: 12 die as Malta uses private ships to push migrants back to Libya

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Survivor reveals further evidence to Guardian and La Repubblica of Malta’s deadly strategy to intercept migrants crossings

Further evidence of Malta’s strategy to push migrants back to the conflict zone of Libya has been revealed by a woman who survived a Mediterranean crossing in which 12 people died.

A series of voice messages obtained by the Guardian have provided confirmation of the Maltese government’s strategy to use private vessels, acting at the behest of its armed forces, in order to intercept migrant crossings and return refugees to Libyan detention centres.

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Malta’s new PM has only days to prove himself, says Andrew Caruana Galizia

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Son of murdered journalist says Robert Abela is ‘continuity candidate’ and must break with ‘corrupt legacy’

Malta’s new prime minister, Robert Abela, has a few days to prove whether he will break with “the corrupt legacy” of the past, a son of the murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galiziahas said.

Abela, an outsider who beat the favourite to become leader of Malta’s ruling Labour party on Sunday, will be sworn in as the island’s 14th prime minister on Monday.

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Malta gets new PM after Muscat departs over Daphne Caruana Galizia murder

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Robert Abela elected as Labour leader after PM Joseph Muscat resigned amid controversy surrounding investigation of journalist’s death

Outsider Robert Abela is set to become Malta’s new prime minister after the downfall of previous leader Joseph Muscat over the investigation into the murder of an investigative journalist.

Abela, who is seen as representing continuity, was elected leader of the Labour party on Sunday, meaning he automatically takes the role of prime minister.

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EU parliament calls on Malta PM to resign now over Caruana Galizia

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Resolution questions ‘integrity and credibility’ of murder investigation

The European parliament has called on Malta’s prime minister, Joseph Muscat, to quit immediately over his handling of the investigation into the murder of the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, as it declared there were “serious and persistent threats” to democracy and the rule of law on the island nation.

In a resolution approved by a large majority, the European parliament said it was deeply concerned about “the integrity and credibility” of the investigation into the death of Caruana Galizia, who exposed the shady financial dealings of Maltese elite and was murdered in a car bombing in October 2017.

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EU leaders ‘should put pressure on Malta’s PM to quit immediately’

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Media coalition wants guarantee of impartial investigation into murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia

Malta’s prime minister, Joseph Muscat, is facing renewed pressure to quit immediately as EU leaders are urged to take a stand on the “desperate” situation in the country at a summit this week.

Muscat, who is under fire over his role in the investigation into the murder of the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, plans to attend a regular summit of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.

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Why Malta is in crisis over the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia – video explainer

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Malta is facing a political and constitutional crisis over its government's handling of the investigation into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a pioneering investigative journalist who was killed in a car bomb attack in 2017. 

A European parliament delegation says the integrity of the murder inquiry is at risk while Joseph Muscat remains as prime minister. 

Here is a look back at the main developments in the investigation

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Suspect in Daphne Caruana Galizia murder says he got tipoffs from official

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Yorgen Fenech tells court Malta PM’s former chief of staff gave him updates on investigation

A wealthy businessman who is the prime suspect in the murder of the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has told a court in Malta that he received regular tipoffs about the investigation from the former government chief of staff Keith Schembri.

Yorgen Fenech, who was charged last week for allegedly masterminding the 2017 killing, appeared in court to seek the removal of the police chief leading the case, saying he was too close to Schembri.

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Maltese minister egged before meeting about murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia – video

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Malta's justice minister, Owen Bonnici, had an egg thrown at him by a protester and was met with chants of 'shame on you' as he arrived for a meeting held to discuss the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. The investigative journalist, who had exposed high-level corruption in Malta, was killed in a car bomb attack in October 2017. Amid the ensuing constitutional and political crisis, the  country's prime minister, Joseph Muscat, has promised to resign in January

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EU mission tells Malta PM to quit immediately over Caruana Galizia case

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Joseph Muscat has made serious errors over investigation into journalist’s murder, says Dutch MEP

The head of an EU mission to Malta has called on the country’s embattled prime minister to quit immediately amid anger over his handling of the investigation into the murder of the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The Dutch liberal MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld, who is leading the European parliament’s emergency fact-finding mission to Malta, said she was “not reassured” after meeting Joseph Muscat and his justice minister, Owen Bonnici.

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Malta’s PM quits in crisis over Daphne Caruana Galizia murder

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Joseph Muscat says he will stay on until January but journalist’s family calls for his immediate departure

Malta’s embattled prime minister Joseph Muscat has resigned, driven from office by the constitutional and political crisis triggered by the murder of the investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

In a televised address broadcast on Sunday evening, Muscat announced that he would stay on until a new leader of his ruling Labour party was elected in January. The prime minister expressed “deep regret” for Caruana Galizia’s murder and spoke of the need for a “fresh page”.

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Maltese businessman charged over murder of investigative journalist

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Yorgen Fenech entered not guilty plea to charges relating to killing of Daphne Caruana Galizia

A businessman has been charged with the murder of Malta’s best known investigative journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Local tycoon Yorgen Fenech, the 38-year-old head of a gambling and property empire, was arraigned on Saturday evening, and charged with participating in a criminal organisation, complicity in causing an explosion, and complicity in the murder of Caruana Galizia.

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Malta’s PM expected to quit in crisis over journalist’s murder

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Joseph Muscat faced increasing pressure over handling of Daphne Caruana Galizia case

Malta’s prime minister, Joseph Muscat, has told associates he plans to resign imminently after the political and legal crisis stemming from the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia engulfed his government this week.

His decision follows the arrest and questioning of one of Muscat’s key allies by police investigating the 2017 murder of the prominent investigative journalist, who had exposed corruption at the highest levels of government and business circles in Malta.

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Maltese PM’s aide accused of being mastermind of Caruana Galizia killing

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Businessman Yorgen Fenech is telling police Keith Schembri was behind murder, sources say

Police investigating the murder of the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia have questioned the prime minister’s closest aide over claims he was the mastermind behind the killing, according to sources close to the inquiry.

The allegations against Keith Schembri were made by a prominent businessman, Yorgen Fenech, who was arrested last week and is understood to be seeking legal immunity in return for his testimony.

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Third Maltese minister quits amid fallout from journalist’s murder

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PM Joseph Muscat under pressure after arrests in relation to Daphne Caruana Galizia’s killing

The future of Malta’s prime minister, Joseph Muscat, hangs in the balance after his chief of staff and two ministers stepped down in rapid succession amid controversy over the murder of the anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The ministerial departures on Tuesday followed a series of arrests in the hunt for those behind the assassination of Caruana Galizia, a renowned investigative reporter who was killed by a car bomb near her home in October 2017.

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