The two brothers convicted of assassinating Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia—Alfred and George Degiorgio—named Keith Schembri, the former chief of staff to then-Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, and former government minister Chris Cardona as being behind the plot.
The explosive claims came during their testimonies in the trial of businessman Yorgen Fenech, which began July 1, in Valletta. Fenech, the former head of the Tumas Group conglomerate, is accused of masterminding the murder. He was arrested in November 2019 allegedly fleeing the country on his yacht, though he denies involvement and has pleaded not guilty.
Caruana Galizia, 53, was murdered on October 16, 2017, near her home in Bidnija. A bomb placed under her car seat was remotely detonated by SMS.
Amphora Media reported that eyewitnesses and police offered a harrowing account of the blast in court. A passing driver testified he saw Caruana Galizia looking panicked as a small spark ignited under her car, and heard her scream before a massive second explosion tore the vehicle apart. Responding officers found the car "shredded" and the journalist's remains scattered across the scene. Investigators later recovered cigarette butts nearby that matched the DNA of hitman Alfred Degiorgio.
Before her death, the journalist was investigating 17 Black, a Dubai-based shell company owned by Fenech that was allegedly intended to fund offshore accounts tied to Schembri and another government minister.
Prosecutors allege Fenech commissioned the hit through middleman Melvin Theuma, a taxi driver and "close friend." Fenech, however, previously told police that Schembri was the true mastermind—an accusation the hitmen’s latest testimony now appears to echo.
Alfred Degiorgio, who carried out the bombing, largely refused to answer questions in court, citing fears for his family's safety. However, he broke his silence twice to state: "Before I testify, I want to say that Chris Cardona, David Gatt and Keith Schembri are involved in the murder." He later added, "I have no doubt those three are involved." After refusing all further questions, Judge Edwina Grima ordered his arrest on contempt of court charges.
Alfred's brother, George, went further. Testifying selectively and combatively, he claimed Cardona and Theuma personally confirmed to him that Schembri sent Theuma to commission the murder.
"I asked him who sent Melvin Theuma, and Cardona told me: Keith Schembri," George Degiorgio said, adding that Theuma had also confessed this to the hitmen.
He provided his most detailed account yet of an earlier, failed 2015 plot against the journalist, which he alleged Cardona also commissioned during a meeting at the Portomaso complex, telling him: "I want you to kill Daphne."
George Degiorgio claimed a 150,000 euros (more than $166,000 back in 2015) price was set—including a 50,000 euros (more than $55,000 back in 2015) deposit—because Cardona feared the journalist would "break our party [the ruling Labour Party]." He alleged Cardona also promised non-monetary payments, including contraband cigarettes and a petrol station. The plan was eventually called off due to an election.
He also insisted the 2015 and 2017 plots involved the exact same six men, and claimed the hitmen knew of their December 2017 arrests three weeks in advance because Theuma tipped them off, assuming Cardona and Schembri would protect them.
George's explosive claims partially mirror—but critically contradict—testimony given by the third hitman turned state witness, Vince Muscat. As Amphora Media reported earlier this week, Muscat similarly testified that the 2017 murder was commissioned for 150,000 euros and confirmed the advance arrest warnings. However, Muscat testified the 2015 plan was abandoned simply because Cardona’s promised 50,000 euros deposit never arrived.
Furthermore, George's memory of 2017 was far thinner than of 2015, answering "I don't know" or "I don't remember" to most questions regarding the actual bombing.
The claim's credibility was challenged. Prosecutor Godwin Cini claimed that George's conviction became final in November 2023; the police approached him twice; he gave a statement in March 2024; and he testified before magistrates three times between 2024 and 2025. In none of it did he give this account.
George Degiorgio admitted he deliberately withheld the full story from investigators. He stated he gave police only a fragment of the truth at the time.
He was also challenged on his legal funding. While the Attorney General presented evidence indicating the money came from Fenech, George retorted: "[The money] came from heaven."
Throughout his testimony, George was highly argumentative, at times challenging officials over his 40-year sentence for Caruana Galizia's murder and a separate life sentence.
"How do you sleep at night?" George asked Cini. When Judge Grima warned him of a contempt charge and handed him a 500 euros ($573) fine, he scoffed, “Make it 1,000 [euros].”
"I wanted to tell this morning. I was going to answer the defence and not the prosecution,” he concluded.
The trial continues. Melvin Theuma will testify in the coming weeks.
Source: Original article