Police searched businessman Yorgen Fenech's yacht in his presence then brought him in for questioning in the 2017 car-bomb assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia on the small island nation. Earlier in the week, Malta's military intercepted the yacht with Fenech on board as it was about to leave the island, apparently heading in the direction of Sicily.
The hotelier and director of the Maltese power company was initially arrested Wednesday, then released on police bail late Thursday. Fenech's name appeared three years ago in the Panama Papers — millions of leaked documents that shed light on how the rich hide their money.
In her blog, Caruana Galizia boldly wrote about corruption and investigated the affairs of Maltese politicians and business figures as well as those doing business with the European Union member.
Eight months before she was slain, Caruana Galizia alleged in her blog that a company called 17 Black Ltd., listed in the Panama Papers, was connected to Maltese politicians.
Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on Friday described the investigation as "the biggest our country has seen," but he contended that no politicians were tied to the slaying.
Caruana Galizia's sons have alleged that Fenech has links to Muscat's chief of staff and a former energy minister.
"We remind Prime Minister Joseph Muscat that the assassination investigation implicates his own office and his closest officials,'' the family said in a statement Friday. "The prime minister has no place anywhere near the investigation, and we trust that he will now distance himself from it."
Caruana Galizia never said whether she had discovered who owned 17 Black Ltd., but in April 2018 dozens of journalists who continued her reporting under a joint venture named the "Daphne Project" reported that Malta's money laundering watchdog agency had identified the owner as Fenech.
The Daphne Project followed a paper trail to two Panama companies registered to the chief of staff and former energy minister, who stood to receive payments from 17 Black for unspecified services. There is no evidence the payments were made.