Melvin Theuma insists that Yorgen Fenech is sole mastermind of Caruana Galizia murder

Self-confessed middleman in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, Melvin Theuma, has insisted today that “only Yorgen Fenech” had masterminded the murder.

At a point in his three-hour-long testimony in the compilation of evidence against the “tal-Maksar” Agius brothers and their associates, Theuma said that “Chris Cardona and Keith Schembri were being mentioned by Yorgen Fenech and Johann Cremona and on TV” but swore that there was only one mastermind: Yorgen Fenech.

"I am under oath here. It was only Yorgen. He gave me the €150,000 to kill Daphne, no one else,” Theuma says.

Despite this, later on in his testimony, he claimed that "Chris Cardona engaged the Degiorgios to commit the murder," explaining that he had been told this by both Johann Cremona and Yorgen Fenech.

Theuma complained that his entire family was suffering because of “who he was”, adding that banks, insurance companies and other businesses did not want anything to do with them. When he was arrested, he complained that the police had seized all his devices and cash. "I didn't even have €10 to buy something for my son,” he said.

Despite the self-pity, Theuma was defiant, at one point shouting, “I am ready to suffer the consequences of my misdeeds!”

A selection of his covertly recorded conversations with Yorgen Fenech will be played in court on May 4.

Lawyers Alfred Abela and Rene Darmanin are defence counsel to the Agius brothers. Lawyer William Cuschieri is appearing for George Degiorgio.

Lawyer George Camilleri is representing the Attorney General in the proceedings, while Superintendent Keith Arnaud and

Inspectors Shawn Pawney and Wayne Camilleri are prosecuting.

Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Therese Comodini Cachia are appearing parte civile for the Caruana Galizia family, while lawyer Vince Galea is appearing for the Chircop family.

11:19 Today’s sitting has ended. The next sitting is 4th May. Laura Calleja

11:18 Theuma's testimony is suspended. Laura Calleja

11:17 The pen drives and mobile phones contained recordings of his conversations with Yorgen Fenech and others, Theuma says. Laura Calleja

11:17 “I made a pact with Inspector Nicholas Vella that the box he was carrying be opened in his presence and that of the magistrate and the Commissioner of Police,” Theuma says. He adds that his lawyer, Vella and  Ian Abdilla were present when the box was open. Laura Calleja

11:13 When Theuma was arrested he was carrying a box of three mobiles and other documents. Laura Calleja

11:12 Theuma says that Yorgen Fenech had specified that they use Signal so as not to be traced by the Secret Service, he adds. Fenech had downloaded the app for Theuma, he says. Laura Calleja

11:11 "Chris Cardona engaged the Degiorgio’s to commit the murder", Theuma says explaining that he had been told this by both Johann Cremona and Yorgen Fenech. Laura Calleja

11:09 ‘Il-buglee’ was never mentioned again. Laura Calleja

11:09 Arnaud asks him about a photograph of a man, known as ‘il-buglee’ according to Theuma. "I told Yorgen to send it to me. He said 'what do you need it for? I said I needed it for something,” he says. Laura Calleja

11:06 Theuma rails against the fact that his family is suffering because of who he is. Banks, insurance companies and so on do not want "anything to do with" them. Laura Calleja

11:05 Theuma says the sanction letter was bypassed after he had bought two flats from Yorgen Fenech’s uncle, with Fenech paying for them. Laura Calleja

11:04 "They left me for last...I am ready to suffer the consequences of my bad actions!" shouts Theuma. Laura Calleja

11:04 Theuma corrects his previous testimony: he says it was Yorgen Fenech who had informed him of his impending arrest, not Johann Cremona. Laura Calleja

11:02 A hoarse Theuma barks angrily as he describes the perceived slights he received at the hands of the police, who had seized his devices and cash. "I didn't even have €10 to buy something for my son,” he says. Laura Calleja

11:01 Johann Cremona and Kenneth Camilleri would give him conflicting information about whether he would be arrested. HSBC closed his account. Theuma had a loan sanction letter withdrawn by the bank, he explains. He wasn't clear on why as he can't read and the letter was read out to him by Camilleri. Laura Calleja

10:59 "I am under oath here. It was only Yorgen. He gave me the €150,000 to kill Daphne, no one else,” Theuma says. Laura Calleja

10:59 Theuma says that Chris Cardona and Keith Schembri were being mentioned by Yorgen Fenech and Johann Cremona and on TV but swore that the mastermind was one: Yorgen Fenech. Laura Calleja

10:53 Theuma is now talking about how Yorgen Fenech wanted to open a jewellery shop for him. Laura Calleja

10:52 "I recorded Cremona because he was Yorgen Fenech’s postman,” he says. Laura Calleja

10:50 Theuma insists that Kenneth Cremona knew everything "from A to Z" about the murder, expect who provided the bomb. Theuma says he had recorded Cremona too. Laura Calleja

10:49 Theuma’s voice is failing again and he is directed to drink. Laura Calleja

10:49 Yorgen Fenech would say "our power is money,” Theuma says. Laura Calleja

10:48 He said he was angry at Yorgen Fenech for not answering his calls. Laura Calleja

10:48 Theuma swears he was on his way to speak to Arnaud so many times but would change his mind at the last minute. Laura Calleja

10:46 Edgar Brincat known as ‘il Gojja’ had told him that he would never leave prison because they wouldn't believe him and because Yorgen Fenech had power. Laura Calleja

10:44 Theuma pauses to drink some water as his voice is failing. Laura Calleja

10:43 "Yorgen would tell me that if we stuck together they could kiss our asses,” Theuma says. Laura Calleja

10:43 "Had it not been for three people I wouldn't have revealed anything: Yorgen fenech, Kenneth Cremona and Edgar Brincat, who told me that if I went to prison I would never leave it again,” Theuma says. Laura Calleja

10:41 Arnaud asks who knew he was recording Yorgen Fenech. Theuma says, the daughter of his partner. “Because she taught me how to make them,” he says. Laura Calleja

10:39 Theuma corrects his earlier testimony in other sittings: he could not have started recording Yorgen Fenech when Kohhu (Vince Muscat) started talking because he already had recordings of Fenech when he had spoken to Jason Azzopardi. Laura Calleja

10:37 “He told me that I had problems because I was the mastermind of the murder of Caruana Galizia. I told him you're mistaken because the mastermind is Yorgen of Tumas,” he says. Laura Calleja

10:37 “The day after Johann And Kenneth came to talk to me I went to Johann's garage. Kenneth came too. He took out a paper with three numbers, one of them was his old number,” Theuma says. Laura Calleja

10:35 They were supposed to get bail on the 22nd of the month (Theuma doesn't recall which month) but "they got neither bail nor the million" he says. Laura Calleja

10:34 Theuma says he had immediately gone to inform Mario Degiorgio, the accused men's brother. Laura Calleja

10:33 He had been trying to arrange bail for the Degiorgio’s and Muscat at the time. Theuma says that Johann Cremona had told him that the men would get bail and be given €1 million each. Laura Calleja

10:33 Arnaud asks the witness about summer 2018. Laura Calleja

10:30 At the beginning Johann Cremona did not know about the murder, Theuma says. Laura Calleja

10:30 Theuma says Johann Cremona had called him to his house with Kenneth Camilleri the same day of the phone call regarding Maksar. Laura Calleja

10:28 Johann Cremona is Yorgen Fenech’s business partner in Best Play, Theuma explains. Laura Calleja

10:27 Theuma vehemently insists that he had no idea what the Maksar brothers involvement was. Laura Calleja

10:27 “Either Yorgen or Cremona had called me to tell me that I was in the clear and that it was Maksar who were going to [be blamed for the murder],” Theuma says. Laura Calleja

10:25 "I didn't even know the Maksar brothers and he was going to involve me in some other story,” Theuma says. This exchange happened in 2018. Laura Calleja

10:24 Theuma says Yorgen Fenech had sent him an SMS telling him to advise Maksar (Agius brothers) that Kohhu (Vince Muscat) was talking. Laura Calleja

10:22 Theuma says he told them that he wanted to give details about the "big case.” Laura Calleja

10:22 Theuma says had contacted Jason Azopardi but he was abroad at the time, so he was directed to Karol Aquilina. Laura Calleja

10:21 Theuma says he had spoken to Mario Degiorgio and informed him that Vince Muscat was talking. He was unable to contact the Degiorgio brothers in prison. Laura Calleja

10:19 Theuma says he thought Yorgen Fenech wanted him in prison to save money. Laura Calleja

10:18 "I was convinced that Keith Schembri was involved with Yorgen Fenech.” Theuma says that Fenech wanted him in prison with Schembri's help. “I always put them together” (F'l-istess keffa’). Laura Calleja

10:17 Yorgen Fenech had called him to his villa in Zebbug and told him that Vince Muscat was talking to the police. "That's when the betrayal started,” Theuma says. Laura Calleja

10:15 "They never got bail," Theuma says. Laura Calleja

10:15 Arnaud asks Theuma about Mario Degiorgio and the bail money. Laura Calleja

09:58 The court has ordered a short recess. Laura Calleja

09:57 "Yorgen had said that if they get bail, he would pay them" Theuma says. Laura Calleja

09:56 Theuma recalls that he had become a friend of Mario Degiorgio and would send them money through him. Laura Calleja

09:56 Theuma says he had gone to Yorgen Fenech to say that they needed €30,000 for the lawyers. He says Fenech had been expecting it. Laura Calleja

09:53 "I got scared as they only knew me,” Theuma says. He says Yorgen Fenech was aware of this and had even ignored Theuma's receipts for the money. Laura Calleja

09:49 In 2019, when the arrests happened, Theuma had sent €300 via a certain "Lolly" of Hamrun to the three men every week, he says. Laura Calleja

09:47 Theuma mentions that Yorgen Fenech had given him €5,000 to take a vacation and calm down. Theuma went to London with his family. Laura Calleja

09:45 After the raid Theuma started taking pills and whisky, he says, He was convinced that Yorgen Fenech wanted to kill him to cover his tracks. Laura Calleja

09:44 Theuma had told Alfred Deigorgio to meet at a cafe in Portomaso because he worked nearby but when he arrived he saw a car that he said was like those used by Criminal Investigation Department and was spooked. He later met him in Hamrun instead. Laura Calleja

09:40 Later, Yorgen Fenech had told him that the Degiorgio’s and Vince Muscat "had big problems" because the police were going to raid the potato shed. Laura Calleja

09:38 After the murder Theuma had been consumed by fear and had gone to Portomaso to speak to Yorgen Fenech. Fenech had told him that the foreign police he was so scared of worked in the same way as the Maltese ones. Laura Calleja

09:37 Later at Marsa Alfred Degiorgio had said "so many bullies have died, we won't kill this one?" Laura Calleja

09:36 One Sunday Alfred Degiorgio had called him and lamented their bad luck as Caruana Galizia had stopped at Mosta. Laura Calleja

09:31 Arnaud asks him about the vantage point overlooking Caruana Galizia's home where he had taken Alfred Degiorgio. "There was a concrete slab. From there the house was visible, very small in the distance." Laura Calleja

09:29 Theuma says Alfred Degiorgio had given him a cheap mobile phone to communicate with the murderers. Laura Calleja

09:27 Theuma says Fenech was pressuring him to carry out the murder as Caruana Galizia was going to reveal something big about him. Laura Calleja

09:25 Alfred Degiorgio had told him that he would not involve Darren Debono 'it-Topo', but would only use his brother and Vincent Muscat also known as ’il-Kohhu.’ Laura Calleja

09:22 Theuma had put the plan in motion, meeting Alfred Degiorgio at Busy Bee and handed him the money. Laura Calleja

09:22 On one occasion he had been taking Yorgen Fenech to the airport and before that, Fenech had given him a suitcase of money saying that was the money for the Degiorgios. Laura Calleja

09:21 Five years before the murder, Theuma replies. "You needed permission from Mr. Fenech (Theuma here is referring to Yorgen Fenech’s father), God rest his soul. You couldn't just start working from there.” Laura Calleja

09:18 Arnaud asks the witness how long he had worked from Portomaso with his taxi. Laura Calleja

09:17 Theuma says he paid €2,000 out of his own pocket not to lose face with Degiorgio. Laura Calleja

09:16 "After the election was announced Yorgen told me to speak to Alfred Degiorgio and get him to stop everything for now." Theuma had replied that the plans were not set in stone and contacted Degiorgio telling him to hold off on the murder for now. Laura Calleja

09:15 "Then I spoke to Yorgen and told him the price, including the bit about the deposit. He said he would get back to me. In the meantime the election was announced. I was a bookie and put €150,000 on Labour winning,” Theuma says. Laura Calleja

09:13 Theuma confirms that the Castille job meeting took place after the meeting at Busy Bee. Laura Calleja

09:12 Arnaud brings Theuma back in time and asks him to confirm some details about his meetings with Fenech as well as the meeting at Busy Bee. Laura Calleja

09:09 Theuma says he received a cheque four or five times. Laura Calleja

09:09 He says he had a coffee with Schembri at Castille and took a photo with a picture of Mintoff. He was told that he now had a job with the government. Laura Calleja

09:07 The witness sips water as he loses his voice again. Laura Calleja

09:07 Later Yorgen had told Theuma to expect a call from Sandro Kraus. The call came while he was at Burger King with his son. "You are to meet Keith Schembri at Castille,” Theuma says. Laura Calleja

09:06 They agreed to meet at BusyBee. George said the price was €30,000 deposit and €120,000 after the murder. "If the job is cancelled the €30,000 are lost to you," George had said. Laura Calleja

09:05 "I told George that there was someone who wanted to murder Caruana Galizia. He said ' imma jhallas dan?' I said 'kieku ma nigix’.” Laura Calleja

09:03 He continues: "Fenech came out of the Blue Elephant. He asked me if i knew George ic-Ciniz because he wanted to murder Daphne Caruana Galizia because she was going to pick on his uncle. I got George's number from Darren It-Topo." Laura Calleja

09:02 He says he had a taxi at Portomaso, but as he begins the now familiar story of being approached by Yorgen Fenech, he loses his voice. Laura Calleja

09:00 Theuma confirms that he can testify freely about what he knows about the murder. Laura Calleja

08:59 "They arrested me in November 2019," begins Theuma. "I was arrested by Inspector Nicholas Vella. I told him that I wanted him to call Arnaud so I could speak with him. That's what he did. I went to the depot...I spoke to my lawyer and we asked for a Presidential Pardon. It was later granted." Laura Calleja

08:58 Superintendent Keith Arnaud explains that Theuma will be asked about the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder and his pardon. Laura Calleja

08:57 Melvin Theuma is administered the oath. His address is not declared by the witness for security reasons. Laura Calleja

08:56 The witness steps off the stand. Next witness is Melvin Theuma. Laura Calleja

08:56 “The keys to the cars what happened to them, the ones you had signed for?" he asks. "I never had any keys and never had a car,” the witness said. Laura Calleja

08:55 The prosecution recalls the witness to ask one last question. Laura Calleja

08:54 The defence has no questions. Laura Calleja

08:54 George Camilleri asks her about her RAV4's numberplate. She struggles to recall. "Believe me I don't know". The prosecution has finished its questioning. Laura Calleja

08:53 She mentions two cars but says there could be more. At the moment she uses a Toyota RAV4 and the other vehicle is not being used. She was going to sell it but hadn't. It was in her husband's friend's garage in Mosta, she said. Laura Calleja

08:52 Lawyers from both sides shout over each other as the defence attempts to derail the questioning. Laura Calleja

08:52 The witness swears she doesn't know how many cars are registered on her name. Laura Calleja

08:51 “We had met him in Bugibba...my husband and I were having a coffee,” she said. Laura Calleja

08:50 She knew the man sold cars but didn't know his name, she insisted under repeated questioning by the Attorney General lawyer. Laura Calleja

08:49 Lawyer George Camilleri from the Attorney General’s office asks her how often she had done this. She said it was only the one time. Laura Calleja

08:48 The transfer took place "maybe a year, year and a half ago" she said. Laura Calleja

08:47 He was a friend of her husband John Bugeja and she did so out of respect to him. Laura Calleja

08:47 "One day a man came and asked me if he could put the car on my name and I said yes." The witness doesn't know the man's name and did not recognise him in the courtroom. Laura Calleja

08:46 She was told that the car was registered in her name, she said. "I don't know who used it. I don't even know what sort of car it was.” Laura Calleja

08:45 Drugs were found in the car, she said. The court asks if the witness needs to be administered a caution that she could incriminate herself. The prosecution say that it is not required as no steps were going to be taken against her. Laura Calleja

08:43 A witness is now summoned: Josephine Bugeja. Inspector Wayne Camilleri asks her about her questioning with the police. Laura Calleja

08:42 The magistrate appoints an expert to transcribe a number of audiovisual statements. Laura Calleja

08:42 The court is dealing with the note of renvoi filed by the Attorney genera. These notes regulate the evidence being presented before the court. Laura Calleja

08:38 Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo enters the courtroom. We are in session. Laura Calleja

08:38 Good morning. Laura Calleja