Only the guilty request a pardon for murder five times

Yorgen Fenech asked for a presidential pardon five times, four of those requests were while he was under arrest for Daphne’s murder. All his requests were rejected.

Only the guilty request a pardon for murder five times.

No one asks for a pardon for complicity in murder if they are innocent.

1 - 23/4 November 2019

Fenech first asked for a presidential pardon at night while he was in police custody after his arrest for Daphne’s assassination. He implicated Chris Cardona, leading police to question the former minister. Fenech then complained of chest pains and was hospitalised.

2 - 24/5 November 2019

Fenech made his second pardon request while still in police custody. This time, instead of Cardona, he implicated the OPM Chief of Staff, Keith Schembri. Fenech told the police that it was Schembri’s idea to pin Daphne’s murder on Cardona.

3 - 28 November 2019

While the government cabinet was considering his second request for a pardon, Fenech wrote directly to Malta’s then President, George Vella. Fenech argued in his letter that the government cabinet could not decide fairly on his request for a pardon because he had implicated Schembri. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat recused himself from considering this request because Fenech had implicated his Chief of Staff.

4 - 29 November 2019

Fenech sued Muscat and his cabinet seeking a judicial review of its refusal to grant him a pardon. On 15 July 2019, the court rejected Fenech’s claim.

5 - 15 July 2020, or later

Fenech filed an appeal against the civil court’s decision to throw out his request for a judicial review. In April 2022 that appeal too was thrown out, as Fenech hadn’t paid the required fees. Fenech’s trial lawyer, Charles Mercieca, was present in court for the decision.