Yorgen Fenech chats quoted in Daphne inquiry should not have been released

Yorgen Fenech’s defence team have told the Daphne Caruana Galizia public inquiry board that use of direct quotes from Fenech’s Whatsapp chats during inquiry hearings is prohibited by law.

In a note to the inquiry board, Fenech’s lawyers noted that Therese Commodini Cachia quoted verbatim Whatsapp chats between Yorgen Fenech and Marvin Gaerty, which had been found on Fenech’s mobile phone.

Tax commissioner Marvin Gaerty was testifying in front of the public inquiry board on 5 March when the incident happened.

Extractions from the phone were presented to the court during the compilation of evidence against Yorgen Fenech, and copies were passed on to all involved parties, including Commodini Cachia, who is appearing parte civile for the Caruana Galizia family.

However, the Court prohibited all parties from passing on the mobile phone data to any third parties.

“All this is being highlighted so that the Board can regulate its procedure,” the application concludes.

Yorgen Fenech is currently suspected to have commissioned the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. On the other hand, the public inquiry into the murder is tasked with, amongst other things, determining whether the State did all it could to prevent the murder from happening.