Caruana Galizia public inquiry: Konrad Mizzi’s first reaction to Panama blog was ‘bluff’

Former government head of communications Kurt Farrugia testifies in the Caruana Galizia public inquiry

17 July 2020, 9:14am
by Matthew Agius

4 min read

Daphne Caruana Galizia's assassination took place on 16 October 2017

Konrad Mizzi's initial reaction when Daphne Caruana Galizia had hinted at his Panama company and New Zealand trust was "bluff", the former head of government communications told a public inquiry.

Kurt Farrugia was testifying on his role within the Office of the Prime Minister in today's session of the Caruana Galizia public inquiry.

It was a cryptic post in February 2016 by Caruana Galizia that lifted the lid on the Panama Papers saga, when she published an image of a Panama hat and New Zealand lamb with reference to Mizzi.

Farrugia says that when he confronted Mizzi about his mention in the Running Commentary, Caruana Galizia’s blog, the minister had replied that it was “bluff”.

Farrugia said that he had spoken to Mizzi and Keith Schembri when Panama Papers broke to formulated a reaction. Asked by the inquiry presiding judge Michael Mallia what their reaction was, Farrugia replied: “I don't remember exactly but they had said that there were incorrect assertions.”

Farrugia said he had demanded detailed explanations from Mizzi and Schembri about the Panama companies. “They had said that the information was not true. They would deny any connection with the companies. Likewise with 17 Black... I had asked them and they had said they had no connection with 17 Black.”

Farrugia said he had no means of investigating or interfering with investigations but had to rely on the word of the two men implicated in Panama Papers.

However, Farrugia added that it was his belief at the time that people in such a position could not be embroiled in such controversies because their position becomes untenable. He had told them this.

Asked about official statements that praised Mizzi and Schembri, the former OPM official said that when Mizzi was finally removed from a ministerial position, "it was very hard to close certain projects". "Keith Schembri would coordinate certain work... so I wanted to reflect this in my public statements out of loyalty to the government," he said.

Farrugia added that Schembri would isolate himself on certain decisions.

Asked about the controversial public private partnership projects, which in most part were coordinated by Mizzi, Farrugia said he could not point fingers at people. "The decisions translated into better quality of life for people, although some things could have been done better in hindsight," he said.

Farrugia denied not speaking to Caruana Galizia after Panama Papers broke in 2016, insisting that he sometimes spoke to her and sometimes did not.

Egrant

Farrugia described Caruana Galizia as a long-standing critic of the PL, adding that there were instances when the information she published was not correct. He pointed to the Egrant saga when Caruana Galizia reported on her blog that the mysterious Panama company belonged to Muscat's wife, Michelle, and it had a bank account at Pilatus Bank.

He disagreed with the assertion that Caruana Galizia’s blog should be taken as an open source. "Many times, she was incorrect... I’m sorry, also because I lived through the Egrant saga, I know that the information was not correct… I remember Joseph Muscat saying that there could never be any attacks on his wife’s finances, such was his confidence that she was above board. I am beyond convinced that what Daphne Caruana Galizia was saying about Joseph and Michelle Muscat was false."

Fenech, Gasan and Apap Bologna

Asked point blank by Caruana Galizia family lawyer Jason Azzopardi whether Yorgen Fenech, Mark Gasan and Peter Apap Bologna had ever been at Labour HQ before the 2013 election, Farrugia answered with a plain "no".

Fenech, Gasan and Apap Bologna are part shareholders in the Electrogas consortium that won the gas power station bid soon after the PL came to power.

The public inquiry is tasked with, amongst other things, determining whether the State did all it could to prevent the murder from happening.

Caruana Galizia was murdered in a car bomb just outside her Bidnija home on 16 October 2017. Three men, George Degiorgio, Alfred Degiorgio and Vince Muscat, have been charged with carrying out the assassination, while Yorgen Fenech is charged with masterminding the murder.

12:47 That is all for today. Thank you for following. Kurt Sansone

12:47 The sitting on Wednesday starts at 9:15am. Kurt Sansone

12:47 The sitting is over. On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo will testify and on Friday, MEP David Casa will testify. Kurt Sansone

12:45 She steps off the witness stand. Kurt Sansone

12:45 Corinne Vella says that PR 115/17 on the police website, rebutting a story in in-Nazzjon, which said that Mizzi and Schembri were going to be charged after the Panama Papers broke, has since been removed. Kurt Sansone

12:44 Glenn Bedingfield and Neville Gafà and “a newspaper which is supposed to be independent” had led a coordinated attack aimed at making Daphne look like a PN agent, as she had been photographed greeting Simon Busuttil in Valletta. Kurt Sansone

12:40 Vella says a doctored copy of a private document which was only available to the European Parliament’s LIBE committee had made its way to the government. Farrugia had said the government had published it and rebutted it point by point. What they actually did was hand over a doctored copy of a report which hadn't been given to the government, Vella said. “The whole murder was treated as a PR problem for the government,” said Vella Kurt Sansone

12:39 “Farrugia will have to be recalled,” Judge Abigail Lofaro states. Kurt Sansone

12:38 Vella says Caruana Galizia had been made the reason for the early election in 2017. “But the sequence of dates here shows that it is not correct… Farrugia had not been taking her calls aside from one time when he called her at 6:15am asking to remove a blog post. Daphne Caruana Galizia had been discredited as a credible source and government would not answer her questions, despite being proved right over the years.” Kurt Sansone

12:33 The 2017 interview was about threats, she says. This happened about two weeks before Daphne’s murder. Kurt Sansone

12:32 Vella says that her sister had said that “she had been turned into a national scapegoat and this has gone on for the last 30 years”. A transcript of the recording will be provided to the board. Kurt Sansone

12:31 Corinne Vella explains that it is Daphne Caruana Galizia speaking to an interviewer as part of a research project where she wouldn't be named. It was for the Council of Europe about safety of journalists. Kurt Sansone

12:30 The clarity of the recording is poor and everyone is finding it difficult to understand. Kurt Sansone

12:30 Caruana Galizia's sister Corinne Vella takes the stand. She plays a recording of Daphne, as Farrugia, Lia and Gouder leave the courtroom. Kurt Sansone

12:29 Farrugia steps off the witness stand. Kurt Sansone

12:28 Asked about whether the lack of information made available to the public was a problem, Farrugia says that “in hindsight had we done things differently it would have been better”. Kurt Sansone

12:25 Tonna is the owner of Nexia BT, the accountancy firm that opened the Panama companies for Mizzi and Schembri. Kurt Sansone

12:24 Farrugia says he knows nothing about Tonna having a desk at OPM. Kurt Sansone

12:24 Farrugia: “I don’t remember. I didn’t know him well... he was there for an audit which his firm was conducting.” Kurt Sansone

12:23 Azzopardi: “Had he ever seen Brian Tonna after 2017 at the OPM?” Kurt Sansone

12:23 Farrugia’s lawyer Pawlu Lia accuses Azzopardi of trying to create soundbites for the media. Kurt Sansone

12:22 Azzopardi asks Farrugia if he is being paid by the Office of the Prime Minister apart from Malta Enterprise. “No,” he replies. Kurt Sansone

12:20 Farrugia: “I had never been informed of this. I don’t even remember exactly what story this was.” Kurt Sansone

12:20 Questioning turns to PR firm Chelgate and Sandstone. The EU Observer, an online Brussels-based news portal, had written an article about misinformation relating to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, Azzopardi recalls. Kurt Sansone

12:18 Farrugia: “No, I never made the request. We had laughed about it, in fact.” Kurt Sansone

12:18 Azzopardi: “Do you remember a request by you and Ramona Attard to arrest Norman Vella over the alleged taking of photos at the airport?” Kurt Sansone

12:17 Question is interrupted by Lia protesting. The board moves questioning along. Kurt Sansone

12:15 Azzopardi: “Did he tell you how he was paying them, they are very expensive?” Kurt Sansone

12:15 The testimony continues with Farrugia saying that Konrad Mizzi had informed him that he was seeking international legal advice. Kurt Sansone

12:14 Azzopardi asks what held the prime minister back from firing Mizzi and Schembri but Farrugia’s lawyer, Pawlu Lia, protests loudly, insisting these questions are political and partisan. Kurt Sansone

12:13 BACKGROUND INFO.: Most of the government’s PPPs were coordinated by Mizzi and it is public knowledge that Schembri was also the driving force inside government on such projects. Kurt Sansone

12:12 Farrugia: “I can't point fingers at people. The decisions translated into better quality of life for people, although some things could have been done better in hindsight.” Kurt Sansone

12:11 Said Pullicino asks the witness about public private partnerships undertaken by the government. Kurt Sansone

12:07 Farrugia says that Schembri would isolate himself on certain decisions. Kurt Sansone

12:06 Farrugia: “When Konrad Mizzi was finally removed from a ministerial position, it was very hard to close certain projects. Keith Schembri would coordinate certain work... so I wanted to reflect this in my public statements out of loyalty to the government.” Kurt Sansone

12:05 Farrugia says that he was of the opinion that people in such a position could not be embroiled in such controversies as their position becomes untenable. He had told them this. Kurt Sansone

12:04 Several people in government had called for the resignation of Konrad Mizzi, Azzopardi says. “You and the prime minister had deep trust in each other. Had you ever told him look these people can no longer be in our government?” Kurt Sansone

11:59 “The prime minister might have been called in,” Farrugia says but doesn't recall exactly. Kurt Sansone

11:59 Azzopardi: “On such a bomb... a money laundering machine involving the top brass from government... was it a short meeting? Didn't you call in the prime minister to discuss it with you and Keith Schembri?” Kurt Sansone

11:58 Farrugia recalls Schembri acting surprised at the amount of detail in the questions. Kurt Sansone

11:58 Farrugia says that he had specifically spoken to Keith Schembri about 17 Black when he had received questions from Reuters and Times of Malta. He found the answers he was given as “unsatisfactory”. Kurt Sansone

11:58 Azzopardi asks the witness about 17 Black, the Dubai company, which was outed in November 2018 as belonging to Yorgen Fenech. Kurt Sansone

11:57 Farrugia says that in November 2018, he had found out about a Keith Schembri story broken by Reuters and Times of Malta, shortly before it was published, when he was sent questions by the journalists. “I had spoken to Keith Schembri about this,” he says. Kurt Sansone

11:55 Farrugia: “I prefer to stick to the facts that emerged.” Kurt Sansone

11:55 Azzopardi asks Farrugia whether he still believes that Schembri had been honest with him? Kurt Sansone

11:55 Farrugia says he had spoken to Keith Schembri about the negative impact of opening offshore companies in secretive jurisdictions. Kurt Sansone

11:50 Azzopardi suggests that Farrugia had instructions not to answer questions from Daphne Caruana Galzia on certain subjects. Farrugia denies this. Kurt Sansone

11:49 Farrugia repeats that he thinks the media should have accompanied the prime minister. Kurt Sansone

11:48 Azzopardi points out that the Maltese people found out about the visit from the Azerbaijani media. Kurt Sansone

11:48 Farrugia adds that it was something public and government was naive to have thought that it wouldn't need media presence. Kurt Sansone

11:47 Farrugia: “We had discussed it and we thought that there was no need to have the media. In hindsight, we learnt our lesson. But the suspicions surrounding this visit are all smoke in the air.” Kurt Sansone

11:46 Azzopardi: “Don't you find it strange that no media was present in Azerbaijan in 2014?” Kurt Sansone

11:46 The witness confirms. He adds that TVM and DOI were invited for this meeting but had gotten stuck in France because of a problem with connecting flights. Kurt Sansone

11:45 Azzopardi says Farrugia had again travelled to Azerbaijan in 2015 with the prime minister alone. They met with the PM of Azerbaijan and Joseph Muscat was to speak at a conference. Kurt Sansone

11:43 Farrugia says the media wasn't informed because there was going to be a public announcement after the visit. Kurt Sansone

11:42 Azzopardi says that in December 2014, Farrugia had travelled to Azerbaijan with Joseph Muscat. The delegation also included chief of staff Keith Schembri and energy minister Konrad Mizzi. He asks Farrugia why the media was not invited to accompany the government delegation to Azerbaijan? Kurt Sansone

11:40 Azzopardi formally requests the witness to bring the communications he had with her at a later sitting. Kurt Sansone

11:38 Questioning moves on. Farrugia denies not answering Daphne Caruana Galizia after the Panama story broke in 2016, insisting there were times when he had spoken to her and times when he hadn't. Kurt Sansone

11:35 Azzopardi is arguing that the reward was never mentioned ever again. Kurt Sansone

11:35 Farrugia: “This reward was mentioned several times, even in international publications.” Kurt Sansone

11:35 Azzopardi: “That was shortly after 16 October 2017. How many times after that do you recall the government reminding the public of this reward?” Kurt Sansone

11:34 Azzopardi asks about the government offer of €1 million reward for information on the Caruana Galizia murder. Kurt Sansone

11:33 Azzopardi has just presented the inquiry board with a link to the Economist story written by Alexander Clapp. Farrugia explains that he would have between three and five requests a week for an interview with the prime minister. “At the time, it was my judgement that he wasn't a journalist for The Economist.” Kurt Sansone

11:30 Farrugia speaks of his relations with journalists. He would regularly communicate with Caroline Muscat from the Times of Malta, even if she was critical of government, Farrugia says by way of example. Before setting up The Shift News, Muscat had been employed at Times of Malta. In between media organisations she briefly served as the campaign manager for the Nationalist Party. Kurt Sansone

11:28 Farrugia is now speaking about the registry of newspaper editors and accreditation under the new Press Act. Daphne Caruana Galizia didn't have accreditation, he says. Kurt Sansone

11:27 BACKGROUND INFO.: Clapp is actually a freelance journalist based in Athens, who contributes to various publications. He has occasionally written for The Economist and his Twitter account gives a Gmail address for communication. Kurt Sansone

11:24 Farrugia explains that the language he used was not of a journalist from The Economist. I dealt with journalists from CNN, BBC, Sky News and all over the world, they never used this language. Kurt Sansone

11:21 “I think that [Alexander] Clapp was a freelance journalist who once wrote for The Economist,” Farrugia explains. Clapp was the journalist who sent the request for interview via a Gmail account. Kurt Sansone

11:20 Farrugia and his lawyer Pawlu Lia object. Kurt Sansone

11:19 Azzopardi says he would bring evidence contradicting this after the witness finished testifying. Kurt Sansone

11:19 Farrugia says he had written back to say that they could meet, but not about certain issues as there would be a magisterial inquiry underway. Kurt Sansone

11:17 Farrugia recalls how one time, a journalist sent him an email from a Gmail account, claiming to be from The Economist. “I had seen it as strange and so I spoke to my Economist contact and asked whether he worked for them. The answer was negative.” Kurt Sansone

11:15 Farrugia: “When requests came in, we would assess them.” Kurt Sansone

11:14 Azzopardi points out that Joseph Muscat stopped giving interviews after the BBC Sweeny interview, which led to Chris Peregin of Lovin Malta to write an imaginary interview with Muscat. “What instructions were given to refuse interviews?” Kurt Sansone

11:13 Farrugia says it was their opinion that it was distorted. “It is what they are saying.” Kurt Sansone

11:12 Azzopardi says that PEN International had accused Farrugia of distorting its open letter in which it slammed the outrageous behaviour of V18 chairman Jason Micallef in relation to the Caruana Galizia murder. “On whose orders was the letter distorted?” Kurt Sansone

11:11 Farrugia: “Yes.” Kurt Sansone

11:11 Azzopardi refers to the NAO report on the power station project. “Do you still say that you never saw these people at Labour HQ?” Kurt Sansone

11:09 Farrugia: “No.” Kurt Sansone

11:09 Before the 2013 election Farrugia had been in the “engine room” of the electoral campaign. Had he ever seen Yorgen Fenech, Mark Gasan or Peter Apap Bologna at PL HQ? Kurt Sansone

11:07 Caruana Galizia family lawyer Jason Azzopardi takes over the questioning. Kurt Sansone

11:07 Farrugia: “I always saw that our relationships with foreign and local press were good, even when the situation was difficult.” Kurt Sansone

11:05 Asked about security at Castille, Farrugia says it was in the hands of AFM. “I don't recall that there was anyone running security on the inside.” Kurt Sansone

11:04 Farrugia: “I’m sorry, also because I lived through the Egrant saga, I know that the information was not correct… I remember Joseph Muscat saying that there could never be any attacks on his wife’s finances, such was his confidence that she was above board. I am beyond convinced that what Daphne Caruana Galizia was saying about Joseph and Michelle Muscat was false.” Kurt Sansone

11:01 He disagrees with the assertion that Caruana Galizia’s blog was taken as an open source. “Many times she was incorrect,” Farrugia adds. Kurt Sansone

11:00 Farrugia: “It would bother me that information published by newspapers was not always correct.” Kurt Sansone

11:00 Farrugia says he is not aware of any decision for further investigations into Konrad Mizzi after the prime minister had stripped him of the energy portfolio. Knowing Mizzi’s intention to contest the deputy leadership, Farrugia says he had asked him to refrain from contesting if there was anything amiss. Kurt Sansone

10:57 Back to the Labour Party’s proposals to reduce electricity tariffs, Farrugia says the party had explored two proposals. He recalls that one of them involved using olive stones to generate electricity. Kurt Sansone

10:54 Farrugia says that when he confronted Mizzi about his mention in the Running Commentary, Caruana Galizia’s blog, the minister had replied that it was “bluff”. Kurt Sansone

10:52 The cryptic post was a reference to a Panama company and New Zealand trust set up by minister Konrad Mizzi, who was then contesting for the post of party deputy leader. Kurt Sansone

10:52 Farrugia: “The first time that I heard an inference about something not being right was when Daphne Caruana Galizia posted a cryptic image of a Panama hat and a New Zealand lamb [in February 2016].” Kurt Sansone

10:50 Judge Mallia points out that just three days after coming into power the foreign structures were set up. Kurt Sansone

10:50 The negative elements were conducted behind his back, suggest the panel. Kurt Sansone

10:49 Farrugia says that his role was to deliver the government's message through PR and marketing. He says that it annoys him because everything he saw was done in good faith. “I don't recall a meeting where personal interests were being discussed.” Kurt Sansone

10:49 Said Pullicino asks about oft used phrase by Joseph Muscat referring to żrara fiż-żarbun. “It had transpired throughout the inquiry, and it annoys us, that employees up to a certain level were allowed to work honestly and had been betrayed,” the former chief justice says. Kurt Sansone

10:46 He expresses pride at what the government had achieved in various sectors. Kurt Sansone

10:41 Farrugia: “It was taboo for the PL to have some kind of relationship with the business world and it was one of the main points that we had addressed in 2008. We wanted to bridge… hold talks with constituted bodies and representatives of unions and industry to form policy.” Kurt Sansone

10:40 Farrugia says the fourth floor was used for electoral planning. Kurt Sansone

10:39 He asks about the fourth floor of the Labour Party headquarters. Former PL deputy leader and now Speaker Anġlu Farrugia had infamously mentioned the fourth floor in his resignation letter just before the 2013 election, alluding to meetings that took place there between the leadership and businesspeople. Kurt Sansone

10:37 Said Pullicino takes up the questioning. Kurt Sansone

10:37 Farrugia: “I didn't have information that I didn't pass on. The journalist would sometimes tag me on Twitter and I had replied to him on occasion.” Kurt Sansone

10:36 Lofaro says there is a suspicion that Farrugia had held back information about Pilatus Bank. Kurt Sansone

10:36 What about Swiss news outlet Republique? “I had spoken to a journalist from there, whose name escapes me...” Kurt Sansone

10:34 He adds that Chelgate would come to Malta on occasion. Kurt Sansone

10:33 Farrugia says they would provide consultancy to government and he would speak to them about media relations. He would speak to Robert Winstanley. Kurt Sansone

10:33 Farrugia is asked by judge Michael Mallia about Chelgate, a British communications firm, and the services it provided government. Kurt Sansone

10:32 Farrugia recalls how Joseph Muscat had told those present not to mention names, but to refer to initials only. No names of suspects were mentioned, he says. Kurt Sansone

10:30 He is asked about the OPM briefing after the murder. He recalls the brigadier, Keith Schembri, Keith Arnaud and Jospeh Muscat being present. He doesn’t recall Silvio Valletta being present. Kurt Sansone

10:28 Farrugia: “I had asked them and they had said they had no connection with 17 Black.” One of the board members interjects: “And you stopped there.” Farrugia says he had no means of investigating or interfering with investigations. Kurt Sansone

10:27 Returning to the Panama Papers, Farrugia says he had demanded detailed explanations from Mizzi and Schembri about the Panama companies. “They had said that the information was not true. They would deny any connection with the companies. Likewise with 17 Black.” Kurt Sansone

10:25 Farrugia says that he had seen Yorgen Fenech twice, once at an event for the power station and once at Castille, possibly for a meeting with Keith Schembri. Kurt Sansone

10:24 Farrugia: “I didn't know they were like brothers. I found this out from the media, during the subsequent arrests.” Kurt Sansone

10:23 Farrugia says he had no idea that Keith Schembri and Yorgen Fenech were so close. Judge Abigail Lofaro interject: “They were like brothers (Kienu qishom aħwa).” Kurt Sansone

10:22 He says Bedingfield had been a journalist but had political aspirations. “I worked with him for many years.” Kurt Sansone

10:21 Farrugia: “We had one Opposition MP who was in court with family problems. We would never publish any stories about this.” Kurt Sansone

10:20 Farrugia says he had sometimes gone to Joseph Muscat with stories from Labour media outlets and was stopped because they were too personal. Kurt Sansone

10:19 Farrugia: “Sometimes I agreed with his style, sometimes I didn't... we had discussions about his style. I had asked him to tone it down, but not as an order, as a friend.” Kurt Sansone

10:19 Was he involved in Glenn Bedingfield’s blog? “No,” he replies but they worked in the same office. Kurt Sansone

10:17 Generally, it was journalists who approached him for information, Farrugia says. Kurt Sansone

10:16 The board asks about wrong information given to the media about possible motives for Caruana Galizia's murder, amongst them oil smuggling. Kurt Sansone

10:16 Farrugia: “The cost of electricity was already an issue. Konrad Mizzi had taken an interest in this sector. He said that if the price of utilities went down we would be helping the economy.” Kurt Sansone

10:15 Asked about Konrad Mizzi, Farrugia says he got to know Konrad Mizzi around 2010 when Joseph Muscat summoned him into his office. He introduced him as not living in Malta and as being one of the candidates for the election and asked me to give him coverage. Kurt Sansone

10:14 Farrugia: “I didn't even know who Yorgen Fenech was at the time. I knew the Tumas Group but never had any interactions with him. I always saw him at public occasions and very occasionally.” Kurt Sansone

10:13 Answering a question from the board, he said he didn't really know Keith Schembri but knew he was a friend of the prime minister. “I got to know him through work in 2008, with the election.” Kurt Sansone

10:12 Farrugia says that at that time he wasn't with Keith Schembri or the Prime Minister. Kurt Sansone

10:11 He continues explaining that journalists were calling him for confirmation of what happened. “I told them to come to Castille for a press conference. I didn't confirm what had happened.” Kurt Sansone

10:10 Farrugia: “Everyone was under shock.” Kurt Sansone

10:10 Farrugia says the prime minister had started writing what he would say, after asking for a press conference. By that time, the police commissioner hadn't even confirmed that it was Caruana Galizia. Kurt Sansone

10:09 Farrugia says the prime minister then called the Opposition leader. Kurt Sansone

10:09 The prime minister had told him to call the brigadier and inform him. Farrugia says he had called up the Commissioner of Police. “At first, he couldn't answer and a few moments later he called back and told me that the bomb was probably planted on Daphne Caruana Galizia. I felt as if the world collapsed on me.” Kurt Sansone

10:07 Farrugia: “When we were almost in Valletta the PM received a message about a bomb somewhere near Mosta. He said, ‘madoffi that’s where the wife passes through to take the kids to school’.” Kurt Sansone

10:06 Asked about Keith Schembri’s whereabouts, Farrugia says that he was not at the Sliema event. “I assume he was in Castille.” Kurt Sansone

10:04 Farrugia: “That day was the day that Adrian Delia was going to present a response to the budget. We had made an event with foreign companies in Sliema... that summer the government had done a lot of work, also because of the fact that the PN was in a leadership race. Caruana Galizia had reduced her focus on the Labour Party at the time.” Kurt Sansone

10:04 Questions turn to the murder. Where were you at the time? Kurt Sansone

10:03 Farrugia: “No. I would see them on the media. They were in everybody's hands but mine.” Kurt Sansone

10:02 Farrugia is asked whether he ever had copies of the FIAU reports. Kurt Sansone

10:01 Farrugia says that at the time his office was on the first floor. Eventually, the office was moved to the third floor. He never had an office on the second floor. Kurt Sansone

10:00 Farrugia: “I didn't feel it was my remit to speak to people part of structures not part of government. It certainly wasn't my role to investigate. They definitely didn't have an office at Castille. Nexia BT managing partners Karl Cini and Brian Tonna had initially been regulars at the OPM doing audits but they didn't have a specific office.” Kurt Sansone

09:58 Had he ever spoken to Nexia BT? Kurt Sansone

09:58 Farrugia: “I would generally rely on them. I would go to ras il-għajn (the source).” Kurt Sansone

09:57 He is asked whether he had an independent source for his information. “If you had Konrad Mizzi or Keith Schembri telling you things, would you rely on that or do research?” Kurt Sansone

09:56 Farrugia is asked whether he had ever spoken to prime minister Joseph Muscat about the Panama Papers. “Yes, I had,” he replies. Kurt Sansone

09:55 He is asked about any assistants he had. Farrugia says he always had an assistant – Matthew Carbone. Kurt Sansone

09:52 Farrugia: “I don't remember exactly but they had said that there were incorrect assertions.” Kurt Sansone

09:52 Mallia asks him what their reaction was. Kurt Sansone

09:51 Farrugia does not recall if she had ever asked him anything about Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri. He had spoken to both men and formulated a reaction when the Panama Papers broke. Kurt Sansone

09:50 He hadn't spoken to her about the Panama Papers. “I don't believe she had ever asked me about the Panama Papers,” he says. Kurt Sansone

09:50 Farrugia adds that over time Daphne Caruana Galizia became more aggressive and there were a number of stories of hers which had started to be picked up by the mainstream media, especially after the Panama Papers. Kurt Sansone

09:49 Farrugia: “I have a good relationship with all journalists... she accused me of all manners of things, even very personal things intended to hurt me. She would call me short, fat, ignorant, stupid, all sorts. More than a serious journalist, I would see her as working in gossip with a specialisation in personal matters.” Kurt Sansone

09:47 Farrugia says that his few interactions with Caruana Galizia were “very courteous”, except shortly before the 2008 elections, when he was a journalist at Maltastar, covering a debate between the political leaders at the University of Malta. “She was present. We had made a story about her presence. She had been part of the rowdy crowd of students there making jokes about wigs and cancer. There was a small incident between Caruana Galizia's son and a cameraman.” Kurt Sansone

09:44 Farrugia: “Her work didn't start in 2013 but long before. Her pen was very critical of the Labour Party... before the election I was editor of maltastar.com. Caruana Galizia would criticise journalists who weren't critical of the Labour Party.” Kurt Sansone

09:43 Judge Michael Mallia asks him how he would react to the criticism of the government by Daphne Caruana Galizia. Kurt Sansone

09:43 There was a political structure aside from the civil service one, that he was answerable to, Farrugia explains. He had five direct staff members under his wing, writing statements and reporting and coordinating. Others were for research and marketing. The staff complement increased over the years. Kurt Sansone

09:40 Farrugia says that before 2013 he was director of communications of the Labour Party. After that he was appointed as Head of Government Communications as a person of trust. It was a yearly contract renewable every year. Kurt Sansone

09:39 Kurt Farrugia is summoned to the witness stand and takes the oath. Kurt Sansone

09:38 The three judges leading the public inquiry emerge. Retired judge Michael Mallia is heading the inquiry. Former chief justice Joseph Said Pullicino and Madame Justice Abigail Lofaro are the other members. Kurt Sansone

09:37 Former government head of communications Kurt Farrugia is present accompanied by his lawyers Charlon Gouder and Pawlu Lia. Kurt Sansone

09:22 Good morning. The public inquiry should be starting at 9:30am. Kurt Sansone

Melvin Theuma, who acted as a middleman between Fenech and the three killers, was granted a presidential pardon last year to tell all.

The inquiry is led by retired judge Michael Mallia, former chief justice Joseph Said Pullicino and Judge Abigail Lofaro.

Matthew Agius is Senior Reporter on Law and Court Affairs at MaltaToday. He is also a Leg...