Yorgen Fenech charged with illegal purchase of weapons, ammunition

Yorgen Fenech is arraigned on fresh charges related to the illegal purchase of weapons, ammunition from the dark web

Yorgen Fenech is seen here entering the police depot in Floriana for interrogation ahead of his arraignment on the purchase of weapons and poison from the dark web (Photo courtesy of One News)
Yorgen Fenech is seen here entering the police depot in Floriana for interrogation ahead of his arraignment on the purchase of weapons and poison from the dark web (Photo courtesy of One News)

Yorgen Fenech was arraigned on Thursday in connection with dark web purchases of firearms and explosives in separate proceedings to those relating to the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Fenech, the man accused of plotting the murder of the journalist, was seen entering the police depot in Floriana in a prison car at around 1pm, to be interrogated.

He was charged in court four hours later and accused of buying weapons in breach of the Arms Act and without having the necessary licence from the Police Commissioner.

Inspectors Omar Zammit and Geoffrey Cutajar prosecuted. Fenech was arraigned in front of Magistrate Gabriella Vella, The case will continue before another magistrate, who will be drawn by lot.

Lawyers Charles Mercieca, Marion Camilleri and Gianluca Caruana Curran appeared for Fenech. They did not contest the charges but Mercieca questioned the urgency with which police arraigned Fenech when the information related to the case had been in their hands for a long time.

In a recent court sitting it was confirmed that on 25 November 2018, Fenech had attempted to purchase automatic weapons, cyanide, grenades together with some 800 rounds of ammunition.

Assistant Attorney General Philip Galea Farrugia had told the court that the purchases were to be made on the dark web and paid for in Bitcoin.

On the same day, Fenech had contacted a hacker on the dark web in order to gain access to a phone belonging to an unidentified individual.

In September 2020, the head of the police’s Counter Terrorism Unit told a court of an attempt to purchase a silenced handgun and ammunition that was linked to Fenech’s address, naming his deceased father as the addressee.

Police reportedly noted one suspicious $50,000 transaction made from one of Fenech’s crypto wallets in January 2019 to a seller on the dark web, but it was not clear what this attempted purchase was for.

A smaller transaction, of $2,098 in April 2019 was linked to an attempt to buy 1g of potassium cyanide.

The package containing the deadly poison was set to be mailed to Fenech’s Portomaso Tower address, according to messages seen by the police. However Fenech was not charged with importing cyanide.

Fenech was arrested in November 2019 and charged with masterminding the murder of Caruana Galizia. He has been held in custody since then and the compilation of evidence against him has been ongoing.

Last week, the Attorney General issued the bill of indictment against Fenech asking for a life sentence for his part in the murder.

READ ALSO: Prosecution says accused ordered cyanide, hand grenades, submachine guns and bullets

17:33 With that the sitting is over and the case will be assigned to a magistrate in the normal manner. Fenech is led away to the Corradino Correctional Facility, where he has been held in custody since his arrest in November 2019. Kurt Sansone
17:32 Fenech is charged with acquiring weapons in breach of the Arms Act and with doing so without a licence from the Police Commissioner. Kurt Sansone
17:30 Defence lawyer Gianluca Caruana Curran stands next to his client. “Anything else?” asks the court. There is no request for bail. Kurt Sansone
17:29 Yorgen Fenech pleads not guilty, his lawyers tell the magistrate. Kurt Sansone
17:29 Lawyer Peter Caruana Galizia, widower of Daphne Caruana Galizia, has just entered the courtroom. Kurt Sansone
17:28 Inspector Omar Zammit says that the case is still being investigated but the police's information is such that they could arraign Fenech today. Kurt Sansone
17:27 Defence lawyer Charles Mercieca says he is not contesting the validity of the offence but protests at the panic to arraign his client. “Why open the court with urgency and charge him with these serious offences that the police knew about for a long time?” Kurt Sansone
17:26 Inspectors Omar Zammit and Geoffrey Cutajar are prosecuting. Magistrate Gabriella Vella emerges from chambers and the sitting begins. Kurt Sansone
17:25 Yorgen Fenech is inside the courtroom and his lawyers Charles Mercieca, Marion Camilleri and Gianluca Caruana Curran have also arrived. Kurt Sansone
17:24 Good afternoon. Kurt Sansone