Daphne Caruana Galizia’s family has filed an official objection against Prime Minister Robert Abela’s “one-time-only” deadline extension to the public inquiry into the journalist’s murder.

Therese Comodini Cachia, who represented Caruana Galizia’s family, insisted that the state should feel obliged to ensure that the truth emerges, noting that a number of witnesses still had to testify, besides the wealth of fresh evidence emerging and two-months of court delays during COVID-19.

She warned that Abela’s insistence on having the report in his hands by December was just a ploy to rush the inquiry.

A note of submission has been sent to the inquiry board, which was set up to investigate whether any wrongful action or omission by or within any state entity facilitated the assassination of Caruana Galizia or failed to prevent it.

The inquiry’s report into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder was initially supposed to take nine months and began a little before the arrest of businessman and prime suspect Yorgen Fenech. It has been extended to 15th December after Robert Abela upheld a request from the inquiry board.

The family insists that its within the board’s remit to decide if any extension to the report is needed, and not government officials like the Prime Minister.

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