Police have new leads on previously unknown people linked to Caruana Galizia murder

Data extracted from Yorgen Fenech’s electronic devices has given police new leads on people who could be linked to Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder, the public inquiry heard.

Superintendent Keith Arnaud was testifying in the public inquiry probing the journalist’s murder and circumstances that made it happen.

Arnaud’s testimony continued behind closed doors but in the brief session attended by journalists, he said data extracted by Europol from Fenech’s devices would shortly be presented as evidence in the compilation of evidence against the murder suspect.

The superintendent said the data, which is being analysed by the Maltese police and Europol, could help understand certain aspects of the crime.

Asked by chief justice emeritus Joseph Said Pullicino if the data has given new leads other than those linked to arrested persons, Arnaud replied: “There are new leads. It could lead to other people who are somehow involved in the murder. It doesn't necessarily concern the people known to the investigation so far.”

The public inquiry into the murder of 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.