Daphne Caruana Galizia hitman George Degiorgio and middleman Melvin Theuma traded accusations and shouted at each other in court on Thursday, in a dramatic confrontation that brought the day’s proceedings in Yorgen Fenech’s trial to a close.It was the second direct confrontation involving Theuma during the day, following an earlier clash with Kenneth Camilleri. Degiorgio was brought into the courtroom to answer questions while Theuma remained on the witness stand, with extra security officers positioned between the two men.The tension began when defence lawyer Giannella De Marco questioned Degiorgio about money and other assistance Theuma had allegedly provided to him and his family while he was in prison.Degiorgio said Theuma had sent money and food to his brother Mario, but Theuma immediately disputed the account, asking whether Degiorgio was denying that he had sought money for lawyers, his children and school fees.Degiorgio rejected the allegation and accused Theuma of voluntarily giving the family money, even claiming he had offered Mario a cruise and bought him a dog.“Tell the truth,” Degiorgio told him, before attacking Theuma over the presidential pardon he received in exchange for information.Degiorgio said he and the others had not been granted a pardon because, he claimed, they were prepared to expose “all the big fish”.Degiorgio maintained that Theuma had identified Schembri as the person behind the request, while Theuma insisted he had never mentioned him.At one point, Degiorgio warned Theuma to be careful that his pardon was not taken away.Theuma also rejected Degiorgio’s account of a conversation about the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. He said he had spoken to Degiorgio only once and was told that “so many tough guys died, she’ll die too”.Theuma insisted that he had never mentioned either Yorgen Fenech or Schembri during that conversation, adding that Schembri had nothing to do with the murder.Degiorgio challenged him over this, asking why Theuma had been afraid that Schembri would kill him.The prosecution also referred to Degiorgio’s earlier evidence concerning alleged plans to kill Caruana Galizia, including testimony in which he had named Schembri alongside other figures.Degiorgio maintained that Theuma had lowered his head and smiled when told that Schembri would know once the job was finished. Theuma flatly denied this.As the two continued to trade accusations, the judge intervened and ordered Theuma not to respond.The explosive exchange brought Thursday’s session to an end, after a day in which the defence repeatedly challenged Theuma’s credibility and confronted him with accounts that differed from his testimony.•