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
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.”
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.