Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1188980
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 His charges were detailed and specific. He was accused of promoting, organising or financing a group with the intention of carrying out a criminal offence, actively par- ticipating in this criminal or- ganisation by giving informa- tion, material means or the recruitment of new members whilst aware of the purpose of this organisation, complic- ity in the wilful homicide of Daphne Caruana Galizia, con- spiracy to commit a crime in Malta punishable by imprison- ment and complicity in caus- ing an explosion which caused Caruana Galizia's death. There was also a request to have his assets frozen and have him suffer the costs of appointing experts in this case. Magistrate Audrey Demicoli asked whether the validity of the arrest is being contested. The defence said it wasn't. Fenech entered a not guilty plea. Police Inspector Keith Ar- naud, prosecuting together with inspector Kurt Zahra from the police CID homi- cide squad, briefly explained the circumstances which led to Fenech's arrest. From the witness stand Arnaud told the court that Fenech was arrested on 20 November at 6.20am after police officers, who were monitoring his movements, noticed activity on his boat which then headed out to sea. Fenech was later granted police bail several times, said Arnaud: once for health rea- sons and on other occasions "due to the nature of the in- vestigation." Cross-examining the inspec- tor, defence lawyer Gianluca Caruana Curran asked Ar- naud whether the Prime Min- ister's Chief-of-Staff, Keith Schembri was ever mentioned in the investigation. Arnaud said he had, but further ques- tions along that line were dis- allowed by the court. The court declared that it was satisfied that the arrest was valid and legal. There was no request for bail at this stage, Caruana Curran informed the court. Defence lawyer Marion Camilleri asked for clarifica- tion on the asset freeze. Many of the man's assets pre-dated the murder and belonged to the family, she said. After the sitting, outside the courtroom, there was no jubi- lation or recrimination by the Caruana Galizia family which at all times acted with poise and restraint. 2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 1 DECEMBER 2019 NEWS Yorgen Fenech is brought to court in a security van, with lead investigator Keith Arnaud, pictured in the red car on the passenger seat, driving to the law courts` Left: Corinne Vella, Daphne Caruana Galizia's sister, stands next to the memorial where tributes are regularly left for the slain journalist, after Fenech was charged in court Below: the security van in which Yorgen Fenech was transported to court Fenech charged with complicity in Caruana Galizia assassination