Maltese tycoon arrested over journalist’s murder

ONE of Malta’s richest men was arrested aboard his luxury yacht yesterday, as the investigation into the 2017 murder of the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia took a dramatic turn.

Yorgen Fenech, a businessman and casino owner, was detained after Maltese armed forces intercepted his yacht at sea and escorted it back to port.

There were reports that Mr Fenech had been trying to reach Italy. Just hours earlier, he resigned as head of his business empire and transferred ownership to his brother, Franco. Mr

Fenech was described by Joseph Mus- cat, Malta’s prime minister, as a “person of interest” in the long-running murder investigation. Ms Galizia was killed by a car bomb as she left home in Oct 2017. His arrest came a day after an alleged middleman in the murder plot had asked for a pardon in return for divulging who was behind the killing.

Under Maltese law, police have 48 hours to question Mr Fenech, after which they must charge or release him.

In the months before her death, Ms Galizia wrote about a mysterious company based in Dubai called 17 Black Ltd, alleging a connection to Maltese politicians, though she offered no evidence. But an investigation by Reuters last year revealed 17 Black was owned by Mr Fenech. According to a document uncovered by Malta’s financial regulators in 2015, 17 Black Ltd was due to make payments of up to $2million to Panama-based companies owned by Konrad Mizzi, a former energy minister, and Keith Schembri, Dr Muscat’s chief of staff.

There is no evidence payments were made and the prime minister insisted there was no indication that either Mr Mizzi or Mr Schembri were involved in the car bombing. But on Twitter, Ms

Galizia’s sons tied the two politicians to Mr Fenech. “We got here in spite of Joseph Muscat. And there are politicians in his cabinet linked to the case,” wrote Paul Galizia.

Andrew, another son, wrote: “It’s time for Mizzi and Schembri to resign and be placed under surveillance.”

The murder unearthed a web of sleaze, cronyism and corruption on the island, from online gambling infiltrated by organised crime to fuel smuggling and the sale of passports to foreigners.

Last night, crowds demonstrated near the prime minister’s office, demanding Dr Muscat’s resignation.