Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1188424
4 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY •27 NOVEMBER 2019 Middleman to testify against three men accused of journalist's murder MATTHEW AGIUS THE middleman in the mur- der of Daphne Caruana Gali- zia, Melvin Theuma, will testify in the compilation of evidence against the three men accused of her murder. Theuma, who was granted a presidential pardon yesterday, will testify in three days' time. In a decree handed down yesterday afternoon, Magis- trate Claire Stafrace Zammit ruled that Theuma, who was given a presidential pardon in return for his testimony ear- lier this week, is to give his sworn testimony in the case against George Degiorgio, Al- fred Degiorgio and Vincent Muscat on 29 November. President George Vella signed on the pardon on Mon- day afternoon after having received a recommendation from the Prime Minister. Theuma has been in police custody for more than a week. Theuma asked for a presiden- tial pardon to tell all on the as- sassination, Businessman Yorgen Fene- ch was arrested on his yacht a day after Muscat had con- firmed that he was willing to recommend a pardon as long as Theuma gave police infor- mation that they could cor- roborate. Theuma is believed to have passed on recordings and messages that refer to Caru- ana Galizia's murder, to the police. Theuma is a taxi driver with past cases of usury. He report- edly ran a clandestine lotto operation. Fenech is in police custo- dy as investigations into the Caruana Galizia murder con- tinue. The Office of the Prime Min- ister said Melvin Theuma's pardon is tied to testimony he can give in relation to the Caruana Galizia murder and other crimes he was involved in. "The pardon is subject to a number of conditions that require Theuma's full coop- eration to ensure the truth is known. The pardon can be withdrawn if Melvin Theuma does not observe the condi- tions imposed on him and ac- tion will be taken against him even on the basis of the infor- mation he himself has passed on," the OPM said. The Prime Minister recom- mended the pardon to the President after seeking advice from the Attorney General and the Police Commissioner. KURT SANSONE THE Tumas Group has disas- sociated itself from its former CEO Yorgen Fenech who was arrested in connection with the Daphne Caruana Galizia mur- der. In a rare statement, five days after Fenech's fall from grace, the company said the allega- tions linking Fenech to the murder "are alien to the val- ues that Tumas Group has stood for since its inception and continues to profess". The statement was signed by group chairman and chief executive officer, Raymond Fenech, who is Yorgen's uncle. Yorgen Fenech resigned all company directorships on 12 November but the paperwork was filed with the Malta Busi- ness Registry seven days later, less than 24 hours before he was arrested on his yacht try- ing to leave Malta. The shock development wiped off significant value off two bonds held by Tumas In- vestment on the Malta Stock Exchange last week and they have not recovered since. In its statement the group noted "with immense regret the circumstances surround- ing Mr Fenech". "The Tumas Group dissoci- ates itself from any actions which are in any manner contrary to law and from any and all individuals who are alleged or proven to be in- volved in any unlawful actions in connection with recently unfolding events. The group, its management and all of its employees are shocked and deeply saddened by the allega- tions concerning Mr Fenech," it said. The group insisted it had always meticulously and con- sistently complied with all of the said laws, regulations and licences. The company also tried to allay fears among its outside partners: "The Tumas Group reiterates its commitment to all of its stakeholders that it will continue to conduct its business affairs to the highest standards, with priority to the interests of the Group gener- ally and its outside stakehold- ers and partners as distinct from the interests of its share- holders, and that, accordingly, all efforts will continue to be directed towards safeguard- ing and upholding the Tumas Group's long-standing repu- tation." Tumas Group disassociates itself from Yorgen Fenech DAVID HUDSON OPPOSITION Leader Adrian Delia yes- terday said that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat must resign because the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was an institutionalised crime that involved many individuals in government. "Do you know what the Prime Minis- ter did this morning? He thanked Keith Schembri, he thanked him, he thanked a person that could very well be implicated in murder," Delia said. Speaking in parliament, Delia said that the country's reputation had now become close to irredeemable and that in six years, the government had effectively destroyed the country. Delia said that in the case of Michael Falzon, when he was still planning par- liamentary secretary in 2013, Muscat had no problem firing him over the Gaffarena scandal. In 2014, Delia added, the Prime Minister had no problem asking then home affairs minister Manuel Mallia to resign in the wake of a shooting by the minister's per- sonal driver. "In this case, we don't have just a minister. We have the Prime Minister's right-hand man. When he announced his resignation this morning, Muscat said that Schembri will now move on. Move on? This man is stealing from the people, he has raped the country's institutions. "He who breaks the law has to be pun- ished and has to face the consequences," Delia said. He criticised the Prime Minister for wearing many hats and giving press brief- ings on the murder investigation, claiming this amounted to a constitutional crisis. "Muscat said he wanted stability in this country, that's why he is staying on. The biggest enemy of the country's stability is the Prime Minister himself. "The Prime Minister also said that the in- stitutions need to carry on their work. But if the institutions are being compromised, those institutions cannot do their work according to law. The Prime Minister has been compromised, his position no longer tenable. He is incapable of making deci- sions in favour of this country," Delia said. Adrian Delia: Daphne Caruana Galizia murder was institutionalised