Joseph Muscat open to having Melvin Theuma pardon revised

Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat finds no issue with the revision of Melvin Theuma’s presidential pardon.

Melvin Theuma was granted a presidential pardon during Muscat’s tenure to tell all about the murder and has testified in the compilation of evidence against Yorgen Fenech, the businessman accused of masterminding the assassination.

Theuma has also testified in the compilation of evidence against three men accused of carrying out the murder.

In comments to sister newspaper Illum, Muscat said he had agreed with the pardon on given on the basis that Theuma gives “the whole and conclusive truth on the Caruana Galizia case”.

Asked who he had suggested the pardon be given, Muscat said that it was then police commissioner Lawrence Cutajar and former Attorney General Peter Grech who had advised him in recommending the decision.

He said that he had preferred the case be solved without the need for a presidential pardon, as historically such pardons “did not help in arriving towards any results”.

“Even after listening to a number of suggestions, and before a request had been made, the guidelines in recommending a presidential pardon where that it would only be granted if it was the only way in getting to the alleged mastermind,” Muscat said.

He also pointed out that the pardon is only given if the whole truth is given in a court of law.

Asked by Illum whether he knew about allegations of bribery to the former police commissioner so that the pardon is granted, Muscat said that he only knew that Cutajar might have communicated with third-persons over the arrest.

It was later revealed that Cutajar had met with Edwin Brincat, ‘il-Gojja’.

“I have no information that money might have been transferred in relation to the presidential pardon,” Muscat said.

He also said that he was informed that the situation would be analysed by the competent authorities.

The former PM told the newspaper that the issue was “cleared” the following day.

On Friday, Jospeh Muscat was interrogated by police over the contents of a Whatsapp group chat with his former chief of staff Keith Schembri, and the Tumas magnate Yorgen Fenech.

READ ALSO: Police question Joseph Muscat over WhatsApp chats with Yorgen Fenech