I always associated Keith Schembri with Yorgen Fenech, Theuma says

“You’re in trouble, you are the mastermind of the Caruana Galizia murder”

Middleman in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder Melvin Theuma told a court yesterday that he always associated Keith Schembri with Yorgen Fenech.

The compilation of evidence against the three men accused of planting and triggering the bomb which killed journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia continued yesterday, having been reopened after new evidence came to light.

George Degiorgio 55, from St Paul's Bay, known as ‘iċ-Ċiniż’, Alfred Degiorgio, 53, also from St Paul's Bay, known as il-Fulu and Vincent Muscat, 55, known as ‘ilKoħħu’ are charged with murder and a number of charges relating to explosives.

Middleman Melvin Theuma proceeded to testify, as recordings he took were played in court.

"Once Fenech (Yorgen) called me in the evening and I went to his farmhouse in Żebbuġ and he told me that Vince Muscat was revealing things... in the evening I received a phone call from Johann Cremona who told me he's coming to speak to me. There was Cremona and Kenneth Camilleri. Kenneth promised me that on the 28th of the month the Degiorgios would be given bail," Theuma testified. Cremona is a business associate of Fenech and Camilleri, who had formed part of the prime minister’s security detail and was a close associate of Keith Schembri.

Theuma continued that Yorgen Fenech and Kenneth Camilleri told him that lawyer Arthur Azzopardi was involved in the "betrayal". At one point, Azzopardi was representing Vince Muscat during talks to try and secure a presidential pardon.

"I only met Keith Schembri twice and never mentioned the murder. But with the contact Yorgen had with Schembri I became convinced that he was involved. I was convinced that they wanted to get rid of me," Theuma says.

Theuma told the court that he had asked Fenech twice and then passed on the message. “What message?” asked Inspector Keith Arnaud, who is leading the prosecution. “I told Mario Degiorgio that on the 22nd they would get bail and be paid a million euros each,” Theuma responds. Mario Degiorgio is a brother to George and Alfred – two of the accused. “On one occasion Mario Degiorgio attacked me (għamel għalija) because nothing of this happened. I told him you are right, I was lied to... I wanted the Degiorgios to be given bail," Theuma said.

The witness said that he became paranoid, adding that on one occasion, he had seen someone fiddling with his car and had informed Yorgen about it.

He said that when Yorgen would see him (Theuma) worked up he would calm him down, giving him money for holidays.

Theuma said that he never told Mario Degiorgio where the money that he [Theuma] was passing on to him [Mario] was coming from.

Theuma claimed that Mario Degiorgio told him that ‘David Gatt, sa Ġunju irid itini €400,000’.

Ostensibly, David Gatt is a lawyer. In different court proceedings it was claimed that Gatt, acting on the behest of former minister Chris Cardona, had approached the Degiorgios, warning them not to rat out the minister and his involvement in the murder. Cardona and Gatt have both denied the claims.

A recording played hears Mellieħa mentioned, where Keith Schembri lives. "I always associated Keith Schembri with Yorgen Fenech," explains the witness.

Another recording was about bail for the three accused, which had not been granted. Theuma said he was frightened of the men's families.

Theuma is heard saying: "Għidlu li ntellagħhulu l-Mellieħa." This, Theuma explained, was a reference to Keith Schembri. Theuma was threatening Yorgen that he would take Mario Degiorgio to meet Schembri so he could explain to him why his brothers had not been given bail.

Theuma is asked why getting bail for the Degiorgio brothers was so important to him. He answers that bail would have “kept them quiet”.

The magistrate points out that the case would have still proceeded, irrespective of bail. "But then there is honour (irġulija)," Theuma replies.

Turning to the murder itself, Theuma said that Alfred Degiorgio wanted €150,000; €30,000 in advance and €120,000 upon completion of the murder. "Yorgen Fenech gave me €150,000 at one go. Cash. It was a Sunday and I had gone to pick Yorgen up at the airport. He opened his suitcase and pulled out an envelope. I told him I haven't spoken to Alfred," Theuma testified.

"I paid Degiorgio after the murder. Not immediately... I paid him €5,000 out of my own pocket as he had expenses for binoculars and other things," he continued.

Theuma spoke about Johann Cremona. He describes him as a friend who visited regularly at his garage. He was there one day when Kenneth Camilleri came along and showed him three mobile numbers. One was an old one of Theuma's. Theuma said that Cremona told him: “You’re in trouble, you are the mastermind of the Caruana Galizia murder.’ Theuma retorted: ‘I’m not. Yorgen Fenech is.’”

Angry voices dominated the next recording. The angry voice is Theuma's. A cascade of blasphemy. "We got it ready (made the bomb) and now that's it." Theuma explained he was terrified in the days after the murder as Europol and the FBI were involved in the investigation.

Theuma testified: "I was angry. Yorgen told me to 'throw them away' - armihom ’l hemm [the Degiorgios]. I told him now you want to throw them away, after they did the job for you?"

Theuma said that he could not dump the Degiorgios. "X’jiġifieri narmihom ’l hemm. Jiena bqajt sa l-aħħar. Jafu lili (How could I dump them. I was there till the end. They know me)," he explained to Inspector Arnaud. Theuma expanded on why he felt betrayed. “They sent me to do something and then said they couldn’t help me.”

Yorgen Fenech would get information on Vince's request for pardon from Keith Schembri and Silvio Valletta, Theuma told the court.

The testimony then turned to Keith Schembri.

Theuma testified that Yorgen Fenech told him Keith Schembri got involved because of his friendship with him [Fenech]. Schembri would provide information. "I cannot deny my recordings, there is Keith Schembri who helped Yorgen Fenech. When Yorgen Fenech told Keith Schembri about the murder, Keith went cold,” Theuma said.

“Yorgen told me that Keith sent Kenneth. If Yorgen is lying, then I am lying," Theuma insisted.

Another recording was being played. Theuma told the court that they would file a bail request in front of then judge Antonio Mizzi. Theuma testified that Yorgen informed him that Keith Schembri had gone trying to find out information (‘jitkixxef’) from Judge Antonio Mizzi because of ‘ix-Xiħ’. Theuma explains that ixXiħ is a reference to then prime minister Joseph Muscat. He insisted that all of this was told to him by Yorgen.

Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi was trying to get Vince Muscat to reveal the plot, explained Theuma. He said Vince Muscat was fearful of retribution and that acid would get thrown at his wife and daughter.

As the sitting went on, Theuma said Fenech had told him Schembri would have set Caruana Galizia on fire if he could, after she uploaded a blog post saying he had a terminal illness. Fenech seems to have replied: "I would throw her from a high place."

In yet another recording, Melvin Theuma is asking Yorgen Fenech to speak to then judge Antonio Mizzi. Fenech responds, saying he doesn't know him. The context is a promise of bail for the Degiorgio brothers, which Theuma claimed in previous testimony was made by Kenneth Camilleri on behest of Keith Schembri. Earlier on the witness stand, Theuma apologised for mentioning Mizzi, saying he was desperate at the time because he feared the accused would pin the murder on him.

As the sitting went on, Theuma said that Yorgen Fenech and Johann Cremona would say that Cardona was involved in the murder. But Theuma adds that he never had contact with Chris Cardona and over the murder the only person he knew was Yorgen.