A Maltese saying – Ma’ min rajtek xebbaħtek (tell me what company you keep and I will tell you who you are) underscores why it is imperative that the government but, particularly, Economy Minister Chris Cardona, should put the record straight and lay all cards on the table following the allegations made by La Repubblica.
The allegations, which were immediately raised in Parliament, were basically two.
The Italian newspaper claimed that Dr Cardona had attended a bachelor’s party where one of the men accused of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder was present too.
It also alleged that, about a year before the murder, the minister and the same accused person had been contacted by telephone by a man who had just spoken on the phone to Ms Caruana Galizia about a blog referring to smuggling.
Quoting “local and foreign sources”, The Malta Independent on Sunday said no such call occurred, though it did not exclude the possibility of Dr Cardona having been “contacted at an earlier or later stage on an unknown number”.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said he had discussed the media report with Dr Cardona, adding: “He told me what he said in his statement.”
In an official statement issued soon after the reports were published, Dr Cardona said that “a number of media outlets have published allegations about me which are speculative, and distort the facts, in order to suit a particular narrative they are persistently trying to push”. He called on journalists to cooperate with the police if they have any information that could help lead to justice and declared he would remain available to the authorities at all times.
Still, at no point in his statement or in Parliament did Dr Cardona explicitly deny he had been at the bachelor’s party in question or that he had received the telephone call mentioned.
In Parliament, he noted it was common knowledge that lawyers and politicians were invited to events attended by many people, including those not of a good character.
He is, of course, right. Even if it results Dr Cardona did attend the bachelor’s party and he did get the telephone call in question one cannot conclude he is connected to the Bidnija murder.
It is possible the same person who invited him to the party was also an acquaintance of the murder suspect. One cannot discount the possibility either that a person who speaks to a journalist/blogger about an issue would want to get legal advice from a lawyer. He can then bounce something off – whether on the same case or some other matter – a man who, a year later, would, together with two others, be accused of Ms Caruana Galizia’s murder.
On the other hand, as La Repubblica noted, the absence of evidence does not mean the evidence of absence. That is, failing to find concrete evidence of some particular circumstance does not necessarily mean that situation definitely did not occur. It also means it cannot be proven as required by law.
Given the very delicate nature of the subject at issue, the government, but more so Dr Cardona, should have pushed for an independent inquiry to look into the Italian media reports, which leave many unanswered questions and justifiable doubts.
If one is caught with one’s pants down, one should explain if one wants to avoid speculation.
This is a Times of Malta print editorial