Chris Cardona questioned by police in connection with Caruana Galizia murder

Former economy minister Chris Cardona was questioned by police on Saturday after his name was mentioned in relation to Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder.

The Times of Malta reported that Cardona was questioned for around an hour at the police headquarters in Floriana following claims he met one of the hitmen before the October 2017 murder of the journalist.  

The former minister was also questioned on claims that he had kicked off a murder plot in 2015 that was never followed through. This information came from self-confessed murdered Vince Muscat, known as il-Koħħu, who recounted to police what he had been told by the Degiorgio brothers.

Cardona has denied any involvement.

Last week, Muscat pleaded guilty to his involvement in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder, in a plea bargain for 15 years’ imprisonment in which he also gave investigators details about other crimes. 

Cardona is said to have been mentioned by the Degiorgio brothers - who stand accused of executing the car bomb that killed Caruana Galizia - as being behind the 2015 plot. 

The price to kill the journalist was of €150,000, yet no money ever changed hands.  

Contacted on Monday, the former Labour minister did confirm he was called in for questioning, but insisted he had not been cautioned or put on police bail.

He described the claims made against him as “pure evil fiction”.