Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1187474
MATTHEW VELLA MALTA yesterday reeled from a dramatic day of twists and turns in the aftermath of the arrest of Yorgen Fenech, the former Tumas Group director now being considered as a per- son of interest in the murder investigation of Daphne Caru- ana Galizia. Two developments yesterday shook the nation, deepening the sense of crisis for Joseph Muscat and the Labour govern- ment. The first was Fenech's re- quest for a presidential pardon, shortly before being hospital- ised for chest pains. The second was a request from police for economy minis- ter Chris Cardona to come in to the police depot to be questioned, without being cautioned. Fenech was said to have requested a presidential pardon in return for evidence that could lead to information on the Daph- ne Caruana Galizia mur- der i n v e s t i g a t i o n . His arrest on We d n e s d a y , as he left the P o r t o m a s o harbour o n - board his luxury yacht, came less than 24 hours after a simi- lar pardon was mooted for an alleged 'middleman', taxi driver and loan shark Melvin Theu- ma. The latter is said to have in his hands incriminating recordings of conversations, which have been passed on to Magistrate Gabriella Vella. Yesterday, Chris Cardona was also brought in for question- ing at police headquarters, al- though Cardona was not ques- tioned 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 Caru- ana Galizia murder during a short questioning session. Mal- taToday was told that Cardona was asked whether he knew Theuma, to which Cardona an- swered 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. A day of dramatic events • Yorgen Fenech requests pardon • Chris Cardona questioned by police • PN demands urgent House sitting and PM's resignation • Muscat in Castille: under pressure by ministers 2 2 0 2 0 2 SUNDAY • 24 NOVEMBER 2019 • ISSUE 1047 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY 0 CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF BOLD JOURNALISM WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT/20YEARS 2 0 2 0 2 0 SUNDAY • 24 NOVEMBER 2019 • ISSUE 1047 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY 0 €1.95 KURT SANSONE FINANCIAL services practi- tioners have been given until tomorrow to supply the anti- money laundering agency with information on their dealings with Yorgen Fenech, MaltaTo- day has learnt. Audit firms, financial servic- es companies, fiduciaries and other operators in the industry have been asked to notify the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit of any services or deal- ings they had with Fenech and around 60 companies he is or was involved in. Industry sources said the FIAU issued the request for urgent response to operators last Thursday and gave them until tomorrow to provide the information. Documents will then have to be submitted by the end of the week. The request was made on the basis of anti-money laundering legislation. Fenech is a person of interest in the Daphne Caruana Gali- zia murder investigation and was arrested last Wednesday as he was leaving Malta on board his yacht. So far, it is unclear what Fenech's link to the journal- ist's assassination is but sourc- es said police have widened the scope of their investigation to include money laundering. Fenech requests pardon, minister called in by police PAGE 2 FIAU requests info on Fenech from firms Ever get the feeling of being watched? UN privacy expert Joseph Cannataci PG 16-17 INSIDE • MT2 maltatoday 2 INSIDE • LISTINGS • TV • LAW • CLASSIFIEDS This Week Alexander Vella Gregory Q and A Chiara Hyzler Film Earthquake Bird The great Tumas empire ANALYSIS PGS 14-15 Ever get the feeling of being watched? UN privacy expert Joseph Cannataci PG 16-17 was no," Cardona PAGE 3 'Joseph Muscat cannot wash himself clean of the impunity he has blessed' EDITORIAL 18 'No question about it: resign. This aversion to resign is damaging the reputation of the government and that of the country' Saviour Balzan 21