Everything that happened on Saturday on the Yorgen Fenech-17 Black saga

Malta yesterday reeled from a dramatic day of twists and turns in the aftermath of the arrest of Yorgen Fenech, the former Tumas Group now being considered as a person of interest in the murder investigation of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Several developments yesterday shook the nation, deepening the sense of crisis for Joseph Muscat and the Labour government.

1. Yorgen Fenech has requested a presidential pardon

The first was Fenech’s request for a presidential pardon, shortly before being hospitalised for chest pains.

Fenech was said to have requested a presidential pardon in return for evidence that could lead to information on the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder investigation. His arrest on Wednesday, as he left the Portomaso harbour onboard his luxury yacht, came less than 24 hours after a similar pardon was mooted for an alleged ‘middleman’, taxi driver and loan shark Melvin Theuma. The latter is said to have in his hands incriminating recordings of conversations, which have been passed on to Magistrate Gabriella Vella.

2. Minister Chris Cardona was called in for police questioning

Secondly, Chris Cardona was also brought in for questioning at police headquarters, although Cardona was not questioned under caution, meaning he was not being considered as a suspect in the investigation.

Shortly after 3pm, Cardona said he had denied to police any involvement in the Caruana Galizia murder during a short questioning session. MaltaToday was told that Cardona was asked whether he knew Theuma, to which Cardona answered no.

“I was asked whether I had any involvement in the murder, and I answered no. I was also asked whether I had passed on money, and again my answer was no,” Cardona said.

The minister said that he was also asked why he had dropped libel proceedings against Daphne Caruana Galizia, when he filed a hefty garnishee order during his libel case on Caruana Galizia’s report on his alleged patronization of a Hamburg brothel while on official duty. “I told them that I did not drop libel proceedings,” Cardona said.

3. The PN called for the PM’s resignation and an urgent House sitting

The days’ events were followed by a meeting of the PN parliamentary group, which requested that the Maltese parliament meet on Saturday evening as a matter of urgency to discuss the national situation.

PN leader Adrian Delia said Malta was facing an unprecedented constitutional and institutional crisis and said that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had to resign in the wake of the arrest of Yorgen Fenech. “Muscat has lost every moral authority to lead the country and has for years evaded his political responsibilities, but now with every minute that passes Muscat has little space for manoeuvre. Our country is suffering the consequence of corrupt and criminal behaviour of people close to the prime minister, people the prime minister has continued to protect to this day.”

4. Government refused the request

The government, which enjoys a healthy majority of seats in the House, did not entertain the request, accusing the PN of being in a state of “confusion” over its request. “The Opposition first says the Prime Minister should not speak on the case and then it wants Parliament to reconvene urgently to discuss the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia,” the government said, referring to criticism levelled at Joseph Muscat for briefing the media on developments in the murder investigation.

5. In other news, one Labour minister has called for justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia

Education minister Evarist Bartolo, not a fan of the Panama duo that has tarnished Labour's record in government, had this to say on Facebook yesterday.