Tapes Hidden in an Ice Cream Box Lay Bare a Maltese Journalist’s Assassination

A secret audio recording hidden inside an ice cream box revealed the intricate web of corruption and violence surrounding the 2017 assassination of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. The tapes, played during the trial of businessman Yorgen Fenech, detailed the planning and execution of the attack, linking the tycoon to hitmen, financial incentives, and high-ranking officials. Caruana Galizia, 53, was killed by a car bomb placed under the driver’s seat of her vehicle and detonated remotely via SMS on the outskirts of Mosta. Five men, George Degiorgio, Alfred Degiorgio, Vince Muscat, Robert Agius, and Jamie Vella, were convicted for their roles in the murder. Fenech, who has consistently denied any involvement, was charged with orchestrating the attack. The tapes, recorded by Melvin Theuma, a confessed middleman who received a presidential pardon in exchange for evidence, provided crucial insight into the conspiracy. Theuma concealed the recorder in his sock and began taping Fenech in April 2018, several months after the hitmen were arrested. He described his motivation for recording Fenech as a desperate need for proof. “I started recording Yorgen because I needed the proof,” he told jurors. “I knew they were going to betray me either by killing me or throwing me in jail.” According to Theuma, the plot to kill Caruana Galizia originated at the Blue Elephant restaurant approximately three weeks before Malta's 2017 general election. During this meeting, Fenech instructed Theuma to approach George Degiorgio and carry out the assassination due to information that was set to be released. Theuma negotiated a payment of 150,000 euros (around $173,000) with a 30,000 euro deposit through George's brother, Alfred. Both Degiorgio brothers later pleaded guilty to participating in the bombing. Fenech initially halted the plan when the election was called, but resumed it following the Labour Party's victory. He handed Theuma an envelope containing 50 euro notes, saying they were for Daphne. This marked the beginning of a relentless campaign of pressure. Fenech monitored the progress of the plot every four days, occasionally issuing explicit instructions such as ensuring the journalist did not suffer a fate similar to Romeo Bone’s, whose legs were severed in an attack. When the hitmen lost track of Caruana Galizia, Fenech provided information on where she might be located. Theuma recounted that the journalist died because of the actions taken against her. As he spoke, he broke down repeatedly, expressing deep remorse toward her family. The recordings exposed the extent of the conspiracy within Malta's political establishment. In one segment, Fenech discussed informing Keith Schembri, then chief of staff to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, about the planned murder. “When I told [Schembri], he froze. I told him, there isn't another way now. He told me... that he wanted her burnt not just once but a hundred times.” Schembri allegedly responded by questioning Fenech, asking, “What do you mean, wrong? You should have told me beforehand.” Another portion of the tapes included Fenech mentioning that Schembri had sent Kenneth Camilleri, a member of the prime minister's security detail, to speak with Theuma. According to Theuma, Camilleri informed him that the jailed hitmen would receive bail and €1 million each. However, Camilleri has denied both that Schembri sent him and that any such bail arrangement existed. The recordings further showed Fenech identifying Schembri and former deputy police commissioner Silvio Valletta as his sources for information about the investigation. On tape, Fenech claimed he was briefed on details from a Cabinet-level meeting concerning Vince Muscat’s pardon request, which involved the prime minister. Schembri, who previously served as the chief of staff, has not commented publicly on the allegations.