Malta government chief of staff resigns, assists in journalist murder case
Malta's government chief of staff resigned on Tuesday (November 26) - the latest twist in the investigation into the death of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Keith Schembri handed in his notice, as the prime minister refused to also step down -
Saying he must help his nation through this 'turbulent time'.
Caruana Galizia, one of the nation's best-known investigative journalists, was blown up as she left her home on October 16, 2017.
Police sources said Schembri was assisting them in the case.
He had been facing pressure to go because of his financial ties to businessman tycoon Yorgen Fenech.
Fenech was arrested last week as a person of interest in the probe as he tried to leave Malta on his yacht.
Before her death, Caruana Galizia had revealed the existence of a secret holding company called 17 Black.
A Reuters investigation after her death showed that it was owned by Fenech -
And was named in emails as the vehicle to fund secret Panama companies owned by Shembri and Malta's tourism minister - something they both deny.
It is not known whether any funds actually changed hands.
On Monday (November 25) the alleged murder plot middleman Melvin Theuma was granted a presidential pardon in return for information on the case.
Three men are awaiting trial for setting off the bomb.
Authorities and police sources say the investigation into who actually ordered the killing has made big advances in the past week -
A killing which shocked Europe and raised questions about rule of law on the Mediterranean island.
