Local services providers can supply information on Schembri’s missing phone

Local service providers may have the data necessary to locate Keith Schembri’s missing phone, which would allow the police to find it, sources have told The Malta Independent on Sunday.

It emerged in court last week that the former OPM chief of staff told investigators that he had lost the phone he had used to communicate with alleged mastermind Yorgen Fenech, before the latter tried to flee the Maltese Islands. The search for the device is still on, and Schembri is still being investigated in connection with the murder, a court heard.

Sources have said that it not “simple” to locate a mobile, and there are a lot of ways one could hide a mobile.

Europol has been involved in the murder investigation since the beginning, Arnaud had explained in court. Sources have said that Europol is still involved at this stage.

Schembri was for a time arrested by the police in connection with the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. On 26 November, he resigned from the post of OPM chief of staff, a few hours before his first arrest. Schembri still appears to be a person of interest; however, he is not under arrest.

iCloud password could mean access to mobile data

In a recent court sitting, it was revealed that Schembri refused to give the police the password to his iCloud, citing sensitive government information. The password to Schembri’s iCould could mean access to all data held on his mobile phone, should he store it there, as well as anything else stored on it.

Arnaud also said that police had asked for data, from services providers, to locate the last known position of Schembri’s mobile phone.

He has also testified in court that Fenech had repeatedly claimed Schembri would leak him information from the investigation. Schembri, who was aware Fenech was being watched by police and attended briefings on the investigation, denies having ever passed on information to Fenech.

Schembri, also in testimony in court, said that Fenech had called him on the day before he tried to flee and informed him he was planning to go to Sicily. Schembri told him this was not a good time to go abroad. Replying to questions by the defence lawyers, Schembri had said he knew back then that Fenech was being treated as a suspect but said he could not tell Fenech. “In my position, I could not give information.”

More importantly, he did not inform the police that Fenech was planning to escape.

“No, I didn’t. With hindsight, I know it appears to be bad. I did what I had to do. I had told no one of my friendship with Yorgen,” Schembri had said. “We can say that the objective was attained, I did my duty,” he continued.

The following day, Arnaud said Schembri had claimed he had lost the phone. A number of electronic devices were collected from Schembri’s home and Castille office but his mobile phone was never found.