Confidential police email found in exchange between Keith Schembri and Yorgen Fenech
Former chief-of-staff Keith Schembri was in possession of a confidential police email found in a WhatsApp conversation between himself and Yorgen Fenech, a court was told on Thursday morning. Schembri appeared in Court as he faces charges relati
Former chief-of-staff Keith Schembri was in possession of a confidential police email found in a WhatsApp conversation between himself and Yorgen Fenech, a court was told on Thursday morning.
Schembri appeared in Court as he faces charges relating to leaks surrounding the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder investigation. He stands accused of perjury and breaching the Official Secrets Act.
The case, which was set to begin in November of last year, was reassigned to Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit after Magistrate Gianella Camilleri Busuttil had recused herself.
Schembri pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Before witness testimony could be heard, defence lawyers representing Schembri argued that they had not been given full disclosure by the police. Although Inspector Shaun Friggieri stated that the defence had been provided with all documents available, lawyer Edward Gatt held that whilst their client had been questioned and interrogated by police, they were not given all documents related to the case.
Gatt contended that the defence must have full disclosure so that cross-examinations could be conducted.
Inspector Friggieri eventually took to the witness stand, listing the witnesses set to testify. Off-hand, he could recall statements from Yorgen Fenech, Melvin Theuma, Kenneth Camilleri and several police officers.
Police inspector Brian Paul Camilleri from the FCID also testified, noting that he had taken three statements from Keith Schembri. He further referred to a police email found in a WhatsApp exchange between Schembri and Fenech. The email, which had been sent to various individuals, excluding Schembri, concerned the arrest of two Maltese men in Sicily.
Schembri, who had been questioned by Camilleri in this regard, said that Fenech, who is charged with being a mastermind in the murder of Caruana Galizia, had asked him about the developments in the investigation. Camilleri recalled that he had been told by the former Chief of Staff that he had sent it to Fenech to inform him that a 'solution was found' since the latter was on contact with their families.
Superintendent Chris Galea Scannura also took to the stand. When shown a copy of the WhatsApp exchange between Schembri and Fenech, he confirmed that one of the messages contained his email.
Galea Scannura further confirmed that he had sent the email to a number of persons, including the Police Commissioner and a representative at the Maltese Embassy in Rome. Schembri, however, was not copied in, with the email not being sent to any private individuals.
Gatt asked whether he spoke to the recipients and asked them if they had disclosed it to which Galea Scannura replied that he would have spoken to them asking to take immediate action on the contents but not investigate the leaks.
The case will resume on 31 January.
Superintendent Hubert Cini and inspector Shaun Friggieri led the prosecution.
Lawyers Edward Gatt and Mark Vassallo assisted Schembri.
Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Therese Comodini Cachia appeared as parte civile.
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