Caruana Galizia public inquiry: Carmelo Abela cannot recall whether Andrew Caruana Galizia's diplomatic posting was ended on orders from OPM

The public inquiry into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia continues with the testimony of Minister Carmelo Abela

Caruana Galizia was murdered in a car bomb just outside her Bidnija home on 16 October 2017
Caruana Galizia was murdered in a car bomb just outside her Bidnija home on 16 October 2017

Carmelo Abela could not recall whether his decision to terminate Andrew Caruana Galizia's diplomatic posting in India after the 2017 election was the result of pressure from the office of the prime minister.

Abela was appointed foreign minister after the 2017 election and just two weeks later Caruana Galizia was recalled from his foreign posting and assigned to an office with no work to do. Andrew, one of the sons of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, was given two weeks' notice to pack up his bags and leave India.

But testifying in front of the public inquiry this morning, pressed by lawyer Jason Azzopardi, Abela could not remember whether he was under pressure from then prime minister Joseph Muscat and his chief of staff Keith Schembri, to terminate Caruana Galizia's appointment.

Azzopardi: “Do we agree that he was given just two weeks’ notice to return from India? Do we agree that he was not replaced? Do we agree that he was put in an office with nothing to do after that?”

Abela: “I have nothing personally against him...”

Azzopardi: “Were you under pressure to recall him?”

Abela: “I don't see the relevance.”

Azzopardi: “You are uncomfortable. Answer the question. Yes or no?”

The board intervenes: “Was there pressure or not?”

Abela: “I don't remember.”

The 2017 election was characterised by the allegation made by Daphne Caruana Galizia that Panama company Egrant belonged to Joseph Muscat's wife, Michelle. A magisterial inquiry later excluded that Egrant belonged to the Muscats.

Azzopardi had earlier asked Abela whether Italy had in 2017 offered technical assistance to solve car bombings. At the time, Abela was home affairs minister. In February 2017, Romeo Bone, a known criminal, was maimed after his car was blown up in Msida. Four months earlier, Giovann Camilleri Tas-Sapun, was also killed in a car bombing in Buġibba.

But Abela told the inquiry that he could not recall whether the Italians had offered technical assistance.

Asked whether he could recall authorising intercepts about car bombs during his time as home affairs minister, Abela replied that he could not exclude the matter. "When I was minister, there was more than one car bomb. I don't exclude that there were persons who were indicated to me by the Head of the Security Services," he said.

Previous sitting

In the previous sitting, Culture Minister Jose Herrera testified that he believed not firing Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri when the Panama papers emerged was a “grave error.”

READ MORE: Caruana Galizia public inquiry: 'Not firing Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri was a grave error' - Jose Herrera

The public inquiry into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia 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.

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 and includes former chief justice Joseph Said Pullicino and Judge Abigail Lofaro.

The next sitting will be held on Monday at 2pm when Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon is expected to testify.

11:16 That's it for today. Thank you for following. Kurt Sansone
11:15 The inquiry continues next Monday at 2pm with Minister Michael Falzon, followed by another session on Wednesday at 2pm where Inspector Kurt Zahra is expected to continue testifying. On Friday at 9:30am, Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis will then be asked to testify. Kurt Sansone
11:11 The minister steps off the stand. His testimony is concluded. Kurt Sansone
11:09 Abela: “I don't remember.” Kurt Sansone
11:08 The board intervenes: “Was there pressure or not?” Kurt Sansone
11:08 Azzopardi: “You are uncomfortable. Answer the question. Yes or no?” Kurt Sansone
11:08 Abela: “I don't see the relevance.” Kurt Sansone
11:08 Azzopardi: “Were you under pressure to recall him?” Kurt Sansone
11:07 Abela: “I have nothing personally against him...” Kurt Sansone
11:07 Azzopardi: “Do we agree that he was given just two weeks’ notice to return from India? Do we agree that he was not replaced? Do we agree that he was put in an office with nothing to do after that?” Kurt Sansone
11:06 The board asks about the relevance. Kurt Sansone
11:06 Abela is asked whether Caruana Galizia had asked to meet him to get reasons for his recall. “Caruana Galizia had asked to meet me and we had discussed the operation of the ministry,” Abela says. Kurt Sansone
11:05 Azzopardi asks him how many diplomats were recalled as soon as he became minister, but is overruled. He rephrases the question. “Why was it such a priority to recall Andrew Caruana Galizia who had just got married, on your instructions? The priority for the minister two weeks after taking the oath was to recall Andrew Caruana Galizia. I am going to ask the witness whether he was ordered to do so by the prime minister and/or Keith Schembri.” Kurt Sansone
11:03 Abela: “Yes.” Kurt Sansone
11:03 Azzopardi: “Do we agree that Andrew Caruana Galizia was posted to a high commission abroad at the time?” Kurt Sansone
11:03 Abela: “When I became minister, I wanted to meet all the employees of the ministry. It was a large-scale task and took a long time. On one occasion, I met Andrew Caruana Galizia with his colleagues and on another occasion he asked to meet me privately in my office.” Kurt Sansone
11:02 Azzopardi: “In 2017, did you meet Andrew Caruana Galizia?” Kurt Sansone
11:02 Asked if he was aware of Gafa’s actions, Abela says there was a newspaper story featuring Gafa with a Libyan person but government’s position was that he had no official position within the foreign affairs ministry. “He went to Libya as a private person,” says the minister. Kurt Sansone
10:59 Asked about former OPM official Neville Gafa, Abela says he was not an employee or appointee of his ministry. Kurt Sansone
10:58 Abela: “What I remember is that there was an inquiry into whether the work was being done according to protocol. It was an administrative inquiry.” Kurt Sansone
10:58 Azzopardi refers to a MaltaToday story on an Italian investigation called Dirty Oil that involved fuel smuggling from Libya via Malta. “There was mention of three internal inquiries by perm secs. Why weren’t the police or magistrates involved?” Kurt Sansone
10:55 Abela: “No, as it was a different ministry that dealt with the matter.” Kurt Sansone
10:55 Azzopardi: “The choice of person issuing visas in Algeria, who turned out to be a relative of the prime minister Muscat was not yours then?” Kurt Sansone
10:54 Asked about the Algerian Visa racket, Abela says he was not yet minister for the interior when the matter was exposed. “The auditor general had given recommendations for administrative action,” he says. Kurt Sansone
10:53 Abela: “I don't exclude it, because when I was minister, there was more than one car bomb. I don't exclude that there were persons who were indicated to me by the Head of the Security Services.” Kurt Sansone
10:52 Carmelo Abela had testified before Judge Toni Abela about phone interceptions. Azzopardi asks him whether he can recall authorising intercepts about car bombs during his time. Kurt Sansone
10:52 Abela says he cannot recall whether the Italians had offered technical assistance. “But I cannot deny it either,” he adds. Kurt Sansone
10:51 Azzopardi asks whether Italy had in 2017 offered technical assistance to solve car bombings. In February that year, Romeo Bone, a known criminal, was maimed after his car was blown up in Msida. Four months earlier, Giovann Camilleri Tas-Sapun, was killed in a car bombing in Buġibba. Kurt Sansone
10:49 Abela: “If any decisions were taken, I wasn't aware.” Kurt Sansone
10:48 Azzopardi presses saying that he would have been informed by his cabinet secretary or colleagues. Kurt Sansone
10:46 Abela says he was abroad and didn't have the information. Kurt Sansone
10:46 Azzopardi says the Caruana Galizia murder took place on a Monday. “Cabinet meets on a Tuesday. What was discussed on that day?” Kurt Sansone
10:45 What changed from 2016, Azzopardi asks. “From 2016 to 2020 more allegations emerged. I think it was a timely decision [that Mizzi was removed from the PL],” Abela replies. Kurt Sansone
10:44 Abela: “As I said, my thoughts I told directly to the PM when he spoke to me one on one. I was satisfied with the discussion and supported Mizzi.” Kurt Sansone
10:43 Azzopardi: “In May 2016 there was a confidence vote in Konrad Mizzi. Did you speak with the Whip?” Kurt Sansone
10:42 Lawyer Jason Azzopardi steps up to question the minister. Kurt Sansone
10:42 The witness says he didn't know about the friendship between Yorgen Fenech and then deputy police chief Silvio Valletta, who was also part of the Caruana Galizia murder investigative team. “I only learnt about this friendship when the news stories emerged in the media,” he adds. Kurt Sansone
10:41 On Jonathan Ferris, Abela says, he left the police force to join the FIAU which didn't fall under his ministry’s remit. “I had no contact with him,” Abela adds. Kurt Sansone
10:40 Abela says that contact with the Head of the Security Services was regular because of warrants that needed to be signed. “We wouldn't have specific briefings other than those in the Security Committee, where the PM and Opposition leader would be present. Keith Schembri would not be present for these meetings.” Kurt Sansone
10:39 This exchange is about Operation Green, which was the police investigation into allegations of money laundering involving Konrad Mizzi, following the FIAU report. Kurt Sansone
10:38 Abela: “No. I only know this from what he told this board.” Kurt Sansone
10:37 Abela is asked whether he knew that former police commissioner Michael Cassar had received a report from the FIAU on Konrad Mizzi at the time the Panama Papers broke. Kurt Sansone
10:35 Abela: “I was abroad with the president. When I was told, at first I didn't believe it. I was dumbfounded. It is a condemnable thing and I was shocked. I tried to see what the papers were reporting.” Kurt Sansone
10:34 What was his reaction to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia? Kurt Sansone
10:33 Said Pullicino asks whether Muscat had been betrayed. Abela says the question should be posed to Muscat himself. Kurt Sansone
10:32 Asked about the resignation of former prime minister Joseph Muscat, Abela says that Muscat had already expressed himself. “He wanted to shoulder responsibility,” he says. Kurt Sansone
10:31 Abela: “As you say, the important thing is to work together... I have no facts to share if there was anyone who crossed the line or not. Working with the commercial sector is good because it creates jobs.” Kurt Sansone
10:30 “The problem is when business friendly becomes money friendly,” says Said Pullicino. Did the witness have this feeling, that money was taking over? Kurt Sansone
10:28 Abela: “The aim of the PL in 2013 was to have an energy plan. I am not a person who has friendships or ties with the business community. I understand that they want to be close but the important thing is to have a limit. I never knew or met Yorgen Fenech. I didn't know his face.” Kurt Sansone
10:27 Mallia asks the minister whether he was aware of encroachment by businessmen into the party. Kurt Sansone
10:26 The reference to the MOU is an agreement between Malta Enterprise and some of the VGH investors on a project for the part privatisation of public hospitals that was similar to the eventual request for proposals issued by the government some months later. Kurt Sansone
10:24 Abela: “The timing of the VGH project I don't remember and I might not have been a Cabinet member at the time. What I heard about it was from the media. I was not present for any presentations on the hospitals project. I got to know about the Memorandum of Understanding with VGH from the media.” Kurt Sansone
10:22 The judges are asking about the apparent contradictions. Projects such as those in the health sector are very important and need to be looked at and prepared in detail, Said Pullicino says. “Wouldn't the Cabinet discuss the investors or seek due diligence? Didn't you discuss the financial strength of the investor?” Kurt Sansone
10:20 Abela: “Cabinet members are notified on projects through memos, followed by a presentation by the minister. I don't think any Cabinet has discussed projects in detail.” Kurt Sansone
10:19 Lofaro: “Was their scrutiny on such projects?” Kurt Sansone
10:19 Asked about the kitchen cabinet during Muscat’s tenure, Abela says that it was natural that the chief of staff of any minister would be close to the minister. “On specific projects which you've mentioned involving Konrad Mizzi, one would assume that the minister would discuss with the prime minister. I would not be present for such discussions. I can't really say,” Abela says, pointing out that the Electrogas project was started before he was a Cabinet minister. Kurt Sansone
10:17 Abela: “Naturally, Robert Abela entered at a time when he faced a pandemic. I think he would have preferred to start in another way. Prime minister Muscat had the experience of nearly five years as Opposition leader so he could prepare for these things.” Kurt Sansone
10:16 Abela is asked what difference he sees between Muscat’s administration and the present one. “Is there a difference in how they work?” Kurt Sansone
10:12 Abela says that at the time he was abroad a lot. “When I was in Malta and attended Cabinet, I don't think the issue was raised… but Joseph Muscat had sought one to one meetings with his ministers.” Kurt Sansone
10:11 But Schembri did not resign, point out the board. Kurt Sansone
10:11 Abela: “What I can say is my view... I felt that it was important that they clear their name before continuing with their duties. I had told the Prime Minister this.” Kurt Sansone
10:10 “There was some complacency or inaction,” says Said Pullicino. Kurt Sansone
10:10 Abela: “I felt that the institutions of our country should be allowed to work in absolute freedom... the police had to be free to start or not start an investigation as they saw fit. Every allegation must be investigated and if sufficient evidence is found, criminal action should be taken… If I did intervene I would be criticised, if I didn't I would also be criticised.” Kurt Sansone
10:08 Said Pullicino points out that some [political] action was taken against Mizzi but not against Schembri. Mizzi was forced to resign from PL deputy leader and had his ministry portfolio truncated by the prime minister, although he was retained as minister within the OPM. On Schembri, then prime minister Joseph Muscat did nothing. Kurt Sansone
10:06 Abela says it wasn't his role to order the police to investigate. “They were free in their role to investigate and prosecute at will. I was not aware of the Attorney General’s go-slow recommendation,” he adds. Kurt Sansone
10:06 Offshore companies are an avenue for money laundering, points out chief justice emeritus Joseph Said Pullicino. “Did you, as home affairs minister, feel the need to speak to them or the police?” Kurt Sansone
10:04 Abela: “Directly, no. Because we had an explanation from their side. What I remember is that during a parliamentary group meeting, Mizzi had given an explanation...” Kurt Sansone
10:03 Abela is asked whether he had asked Schembri and Konrad Mizzi about their Panama companies when the Panama Papers story broke. Kurt Sansone
10:02 Asked about his relationship with Keith Schembri, Abela says he had a working relationship with him. “I don't feel I should pass judgement on whether he had excessive powers, that's up to the individual opinion, but he was a reference point. If someone consults him, it isn't necessarily a power, but he had influence, yes,” Abela replies. Kurt Sansone
10:00 Mallia asks whether Abela was spokesman for the Electorgas project when it was announced in 2013. “Not exactly, I was government spokesman... I wouldn't receive any information about this project. The ministry in charge of the project would take care of the project’s PR,” Abela says. Kurt Sansone
09:57 Abela: “All I know is that he was made chief of staff. It was public knowledge that he was heavily involved in the election preparations.” Kurt Sansone
09:56 Mallia: “After the 2013 election was Schembri immediately made OPM chief of staff?” Kurt Sansone
09:55 Abela: “I don't know because I met him after the 2013 election.” Kurt Sansone
09:55 He is asked what role Keith Schembri played during the election campaign and before. Kurt Sansone
09:54 He explains that the PL had a promise for cheaper electricity and utility bills. “There was a timeline for the new power station but I don't recall the gas storage tanker [being part of the plan]. The privatisation of the state hospitals was not part of the campaign either,” Abela says. Kurt Sansone
09:53 Judge Abigail Lofaro asks whether the Individual Investor Programme was mentioned. “It hadn't,” he answers. Kurt Sansone
09:52 Judge emeritus Michael Mallia asks if the hospitals privatisation deal had been mentioned in the electoral campaign. “No, I don't think so,” Abela replies. Kurt Sansone
09:51 Abela says that in December 2014 he became minister for home affairs and national security. This happened after the resignation of then home affairs minister Manuel Mallia. After the June 2017 general election he became minister for foreign affairs. Kurt Sansone
09:49 Abela: “I was a candidate in 2013. My first election was in 1996. I was a candidate again and I had a role of shadow minister. After 2013, I was appointed Whip of the parliamentary group. Some months later I was also given the role of government spokesman and started to work at the Office of the Prime Minister.” Kurt Sansone
09:48 He is asked about his previous senior roles in the Labour Party and the 2013 electoral campaign. Kurt Sansone
09:47 A knock on the door and the judges enter the courtroom. The sitting begins and Minister Carmelo Abela is summoned to the stand. He takes the oath. Kurt Sansone
09:46 Good morning. Kurt Sansone