Financial Times leader: Malta should have foreign judges supervising Caruana Galizia probe

The Financial Times has called on the Maltese government to invite foreign judges and prosecutors to supervise the probe into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia

The Financial Times has called on the Maltese government to invite foreign judges and prosecutors to supervise the probe into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

In its leader, the FT today said that given potential conflicts of interest, Joseph Msucat should firmly distance himself from the investigation, which has now embroiled his chief of staff, Keith Schembri.

“That would bolster domestic and international confidence that Malta’s investigators can operate without political interference, and that there can be no cover-up of any government involvement in the journalist’s murder.”

Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination in a car bomb in 2017, a year after having tied leading local politicians to questionable shell companies, one of which was owned by Tumas magnate Yorgen Fenech.

The Panama companies owned by the Schembri and Konrad Mizzi were expected to receive millions for unspecified services from a Dubai company, 17 Black Limited — which Caruana Galizia had written about months before her death. The Daphne Project concluded that 17 Black was owned by Yorgen Fenech, which he refused to confirm or deny.

“It is vital that the investigation is brought to a conclusion, and those who ordered the crime brought to justice. Doing so would chip away at the culture of impunity that too often surrounds attacks on journalists, and strike a blow for the rule of law in the EU,” the FT said in its leader.

“Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has said he is hopeful the probe will solve the murder, and that recent developments showed there was ‘no impunity’ in Malta.

“Given potential conflicts of interest, however, he should firmly distance himself from the investigation. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has already accused Mr Muscat of ‘personally protecting’ the two officials during years of questions over their behaviour. If they face any charges, he should stand down. Maltese authorities should also invite foreign judges and prosecutors to join and supervise the probe.”