Two former senior Maltese politicians face potential prosecution over their ties to 17 Black, a company owned by casino magnate Yorgen Fenech, who stands accused of orchestrating journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder.

Magistrate Charmaine Galea has recommended charging Keith Schembri, former chief aide to Malta's ex-prime minister, and Konrad Mizzi, former energy and health minister, following an extensive investigation.

The case centers around revelations from the Panama Papers, which showed that 17 Black planned to transfer US$2 million to offshore companies owned by Schembri and Mizzi. Before uncovering Fenech's connection to 17 Black, journalist Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb in October 2017.

Fenech, who previously led the Tumas Group and owned the Qawra Oracle and Portomaso casinos, was arrested in 2019 while attempting to flee Malta. The arrest followed testimony from Melvin Theuma, the self-confessed middleman who implicated Fenech as the mastermind behind Caruana Galizia's murder.

Prosecutors believe Fenech ordered the killing to prevent Caruana Galizia from exposing alleged corruption in a $500 million government energy contract awarded to his company, Electrogas. The journalist had obtained 600,000 leaked Electrogas emails shortly before her death.

While Fenech denies orchestrating the murder and claims Schembri was responsible, both Schembri and Mizzi face separate charges for corruption related to government health contracts. The scandal triggered massive protests in Malta, leading to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's resignation in 2019.

Fenech remains in custody awaiting trial, while the Degiorgio brothers were charged with planting the fatal bomb.

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