Xhieda ta’ Matthew Caruana Galizia – 12 ta’ Ġunju 2020
L-Atti tal-Inkjesta datata 19 ta' Novembru 2019, rigward skont it- Termini ta’ Referenza ta’ l-Inkjesta Pubblika dwar l-Assassinju ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Seduta miżmuma llum il-Gimgha 12 ta’ Gunju, 2020 fid-09:30am fit- tieni sular, Awla 20, il-Qorti.
Matthew Caruana Galizia riprodott bl-Ingliz bil-ġurament jgħid:
You swear to say the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God.
Witness:
I do.
Witness:
So we do not want the Board to waste any time on the investigation of the Manoel Theatre or anything like that but I made an FOY requests on information on contracts given to Mario Philip Azzopardi and minutes of meetings discussing him, his company or his play ….
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
What is the company name please?
Witness:
Stagun Teatru Malti. It’s over here. To me the fact that this play was even considered or was thought up is an indication of the atmosphere that was created, the atmosphere of hostility and …
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Can you give me the date please? Can you give us the date?
Dr. Therese Comodini Cachia:
You need to describe what the documents are and what happened Matthew because we haven’t seen them.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
The most important the date.
Witness:
Yes of course. I will exhibit the documents as well.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
And how long it took the Board to say no.
Dr. Therese Comodini Cachia:
Look when did you present your request for information?
Witness:
I presented my, so the date of the Board meeting when the play was discussed was 25th May 2016.
Imh. M. Mallia:
2016!
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
A year and a half before.
Witness:
So the relevant line of the minutes is during this meeting we are going to discuss the next Teatru Stagun Malti’s Production “Min qatel lil Daphne Caruana Galizia?” which the Board was of the unanimous opinion was not a good idea.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Unanimous ukoll.
Witness:
So they had a discussion about his proposal and then they were saying that during the next meeting they were going to have another discussion…
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Do you know when the play was submitted to the Board please?
Witness:
No I don’t know, I just have….
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
You don’t. O.K.
Witness:
The minutes are heavily redacted so what was returned to me in the FOI requests was very heavily redacted.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
O.K.
Witness:
Which is why I asked for a clarification on the date.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
And who is the Chairman of the Board?
Witness:
For this, during the time of this meeting it was Michael Grech, he was present.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
O.K. Dr. Michael Grech?
Witness:
Dr. Michael Grech.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Albert Grech’s son. O.K. Thank you.
Dr. Therese Comodini Cachia:
Jiena nahseb li jista’ jitla’ Michael.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Ehhe, ghalhekk staqsejt min kien.
Witness:
I know nothing about the content of the play, there is absolutely no indication of that. What’s relevant is this it’s an indication of the atmosphere of hostility. The fact that the Board did not come forward voluntary to the public inquiry to say look, Mario Philip Azzopardi proposed this play, we got it from an FOI request, a complete coincidence. I had absolutely no idea that this play was being discussed it was just by accident.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Or that it was even written right?
Witness:
Or that it was even written!
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Did Mario Philip Azzopardi ever write about your mother?
Witness:
Yes he did there was…
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Because I think he did.
Witness:
There is so much stuff in here that we compiled what we could find written…
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
O.K.
Witness:
He had also proposed a second play called “Ix-Xiha”…
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
And it was her?
Witness:
I mean, he didn’t say, the marketing material of the play didn’t say that it was explicitly about my mother but he said elsewhere on facebook and so on that it was a satire, that it was explicitly about my mother.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
And when was this please? Of “Ix-Xiha”?
Witness:
This play was, it was after her murder.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
After the murder.
Witness:
It was about a woman who dies and then comes back to life to avenge herself.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Oh my God!
Imh. J. Said Pullicino:
The first one was before?
Witness:
The first one was before …
Imh. J. Said Pullicino:
Before the Panama Papers.
Witness:
No the Panama Papers came out in April…
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
No the Panama Papers …
Witness:
In 2016.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
It had come out….
Witness:
Yes it was after.
Dr. Therese Comodini Cachia:
It was quite close.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
“Ix-Xiha” was how much after, you know how long after her death?
Witness:
I am just looking for the screen shot of this. There is a social media post that we put a screen shot of Mario Philip Azzopardi from January 25th of this year where….
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Of this year!
Witness:
Where he is announcing the play, but then he later says, he publishes another facebook post in March where he says “Ix-Xiha” banned.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Bang?
Witness:
It was actually rejected by the Board. He was saying that it was banned. But the play was rejected.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
O.K. And the Chairman at the time was who?
Dr. Therese Comodini Cachia:
There was a change.
Witness:
I do not have minutes from that time but I think it was still Dr. Michael Grech.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Dr. Michael Grech.
Witness:
I am not sure though I have no, there are no minutes from that time.
Imh. M. Mallia:
Nistghu ngibuh nhar it-Tnejn?
Dr. Therese Comodini Cachia:
Hekk kont ser nissuggerixxi.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Dan mhux fit-tul.
Dr. Therese Comodini Cachia:
Le mhux fit-tul.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Le.
Dr. Therese Comodini Cachia:
U xi hadd li hu familjari mal-Qorti, jigifieri …
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Ehhe.
Dr. Therese Comodini Cachia:
Those are to present Matthew?
Witness:
These are to present, I am just trying to get them in here. Yes.
Imh. J. Said Pullicino:
Irriedu nsibu l-indirrizz tieghu, dan Dr. Michael Grech.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Mhux hawnhekk, l-ufficcju Strait Street.
Dr. Therese Comodini Cachia:
GVTH nahseb.
Judge Abigail Lofaro:
Ehhe GVTH. Strait Street jew Old Bakery ma nafx. There are two entrances. GVTH and Associates, nahseb Strait Street, Valletta.
Imh. M. Mallia:
Mela nhar it-Tnejn ghandna lill-Kummissarju u lil Dr. Michael Grech.
Dr. Therese Comodini Cachia:
Iva.
Imh. M. Mallia:
This is the evidence of Matthew Caruana Galizia dictated by himself.