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Malta PM Joseph Muscat expected to resign in crisis over journalist murder

Caruana Galizia, a campaigning journalist who investigated corruption, was blown up by a car bomb on in October 2017.

Malta PM Joseph Muscat expected to resign in crisis over journalist murder

Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat (Photo: IANS)

Malta Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that a suspect in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia will not be granted immunity to reveal what he knows about the case.

Muscat’s spokesman would neither confirm nor deny the report. His Labour Party cancelled an event scheduled for Sunday at which Muscat was set to speak.

Muscat’s chief of staff and two members of the cabinet have already stepped aside this week over the murder case, which threatens to bring down the island nation’s close-knit elite.

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Caruana Galizia, a campaigning journalist who investigated corruption, was blown up by a car bomb on in October 2017.

On Friday, her family demanded that Muscat resign after his right-hand man Keith Schembri was set free overnight.

“This travesty of justice is shaming our country, ripping our society apart, and it is degrading us. It cannot continue any longer,” the family said in a statement.

Muscat has previously rebuffed calls to quit.

“I will not abdicate my responsibilities. Malta needs stable leadership and I will continue to take decisions in the interests of the country and will not protect anyone,” he said.

His spokesman said Muscat would make an announcement “in due course”.

In a letter to the president, Fenech’s lawyers said he was prepared to give information involving Schembri and two cabinet ministers – Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi and Economy Minister Chris Cardona. Mizzi resigned on Tuesday and Cardona has suspended himself from his duties. All three deny wrongdoing.

There is no evidence that money changed hands and Mizzi has said there are no links between him and Fenech’s company. Cardona has also denied involvement.

Taking to Twitter, Roberta Metsola, a Maltese member of the European Parliament, tweeted, “If only #DaphneCaruanaGalizia was alive to see that even after they assassinated her, she brought the criminals down in disgrace”.

He appeared in court later for a hearing at which he hopes to remove the lead investigator from the case for his alleged links to Schembri, the former chief of staff to the prime minister. He will be questioned by police again tomorrow.

Last week, Fenech was arrested while trying to leave the island in his yacht, was also freed on bail.

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