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File photograph: Memorial to Daphne Caruana Galizia (Ethan Doyle White)
The family of Daphne Caruana Galizia have urged Malta’s prime minister, Joseph Muscat to be investigated over a possible role in the journalist’s death in 2017.
Muscat announced on Sunday that he will resign in January, after investigators had allegedly found connections between his administration and those who arranged for the killing to happen – which he has dismissed. However, the family of Caruana Galizia and protestors have called for his immediate resignation.
The family of Caruana Galizia fear that his position as the prime minister allows him to influence the investigation and enables him to cover-up the murder by destroying any incriminating evidence. They issued a statement calling for all evidence to be preserved and pledged “until he resigns, we will use all legal remedies to ensure Muscat has no further involvement in the investigation and criminal proceedings, other than as a possible suspect”.
They told reporters "Muscat has delayed his resignation in an attempt to continue protecting himself and Schembri [a close associate]. There is no alternative explanation".
Galizia, who was killed in October 2017 by a car bomb, exposed corruption at the highest level and notably revealed off-shore companies owned by the former Chief to Staff Schembri and former energy minister Konrad Mizzi, both of whom resigned. Though Schembri was accused by Yorgen Fenech – who confessed to being a middleman – of ordering the killing of Galizia, he was released after no evidence had been found against him.
Over 4,000 demonstrators gathered in front of the parliament to express their resentment towards the Muscat and his MP’s, whilst the family of Galizia still seek accountability and justice for her death.
