Daphne Caruana Galizia murder investigation ‘in serious danger’ as magistrate offered promotion

The investigation into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia is in “serious danger” as “investigating Magistrate (Anthony) Vella was offered promotion to a judge; therefore a new magistrate has to dig into the highly complex case,” Greens MP Sven Giegold said yesterday.

Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed in a car bomb on 16 October. Three men have been arraigned in connection with the murder.

Hours after leaving Malta following a string of meetings on Friday on the rule of law in Malta as part of an EP delegation, Giegold wrote on his web page that such a move will “risk a lot of delay jeopardising that critical telecommunication data may be lost”.

Three members of the ad-hoc mission of the European Parliament to Malta made an informal visit to Valletta on Friday. Ana Maria Gomes (Socialists & Democrats), David Casa (EPP) and Sven Giegold (Greens) held a number of high-level exchanges of views.

The delegation met with Magistrate Anthony Vella (investigating Daphne’s murder), Magistrate Aaron Bugeja (investigating the Egrant case), Ivan Grech Mintoff, former EU Commissioner John Dalli and members of the Maltese Parliament from Labour and Nationalist parties, as well as civil society. The MEPs will write a report on the visit which will be handed to a new working group on the “rule of law and the fight against corruption in EU member states” of the European Parliament. This working group will inter alia also deal with the situation in Malta and Slovakia. Following the visit, MEP Sven Giegold, financial and economic policy spokesperson of the Greens/EFA group commented: “The investigation into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia is in serious danger. The investigating Magistrate Vella was offered promotion to a judge so a new magistrate has to dig into the highly complex case. This will risk a lot of delay jeopardising that critical telecommunication data may be lost. Equally worrying is that all magistrates investigating the cases of highest importance for Malta such as the corruption allegations against Minister Mizzi and Prime Minister aide Schembri, the Egrant case as well as the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia cannot concentrate on the these key files. They all have to deal with about dozens or even hundreds of other minor cases in parallel. Equally, the international cooperation does not function as it should. Prime Min- ister Muscat has not delivered on his promise to do all what is needed to find the culprits. More than ever an independent international investigation is needed to find the truth in Malta. The European Commission needs to step up its work on the rule of law in Malta.

“Since the murder, top international media has investigated a number of serious scandals in Malta. It is shocking that these scandals have not led to a strong response neither by the government nor by the police. Equally, Parliament failed to hold the government to account in order to ensure a full investigation of the revelations. A parliamentary investigation committee has still not been created since the murder. Lastly, the Members of Parliament of the Labour Party refused to support the European Parliament to hold Minister Konrad Mizzi accountable who did not say the truth to the inquiry committee on the Panama Papers of the European Parliament. According to documents, the tax haven companies created by him did not serve family purposes as claimed but business purposes.”

Reporters Without Borders expresses concern

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) yesterday expressed “regret” that Magistrate Vella “is to be removed from the case because of an unrequested promotion.

“RSF fears this will delay progress in the investigation.”

RSF said it has confirmed that Magistrate Vella will be removed from the case very soon and that the name of his successor is not yet known.

“The promotion of Anthony Vella, a magistrate who was determined to pursue this enquiry until the end, comes at the worst possible time for the case and threatens to delay the investigation into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder even more,” RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire said.

“As the authorities are supposed to provide all the resources needed to facilitate the proceedings, this promotion can only cast doubt on their real intentions.”

When the head of RSF’s EU-Balkans desk, Pauline Adès-Mével, met with Magistrate Vella and his team in Malta on 17 April, he told her he was determined to personally complete the investigation and to bring those who masterminded Caruana Galizia’s murder to justice. “The magistrate in charge of the investigation has clearly demonstrated his commitment to establishing the truth, as many people familiar with the case have confirmed,” Adès-Mével said. RSF recalls how the investigation into this sensitive case began badly. The first magistrate to be assigned to the case was known for hostility towards Daphne Caruana Galizia. She quickly recused herself, making way for Magistrate Vella to take over. Now, nearly eight months after the murder, a third magistrate will have to assimilate all of the case’s many elements.”

MP Sven Giegold