Case on the murder of an investigative journalist has evolved into a serious political crisis for the government of Malta.

The maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech is Saturday have been charged for aiding and abetting the killing of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017.

Fenech, one of Malta's richest person, refuses in court to be guilty of this and other charges in the case. It writes the news agency Reuters.

Fenech is the prime suspect in the case. He has been in custody since 20. november, where he was arrested as he was about to leave Malta on his yacht.

a Few days before was a different man, Melvin Theuma, been arrested in a case relating to money laundering. He told police that he had been the middleman in drabssagen and offered police information in the case.

Sources in the police said according to Reuters, that they believe that Fenech devised the killing.

Drabssagen and the ongoing investigation has developed into a serious political crisis for the government of Malta.

the chief of staff and the minister of tourism has resigned, and the country's economy minister, has been suspend from the government.

Fenech has been appointed as the owner of an unlisted company from a tax haven would need Betasus to send the money to the chief-of-staff and turismeministerens accounts, writes news agency dpa.

Numerous reports suggest that prime minister Joseph Muscat will also go of.

According to the newspaper Times of Malta he has notified his resignation to the president of the country. The newspaper learns that Muscat has recorded a video message Saturday afternoon, where he officially announces his departure.

Sources in his party say to the AFP news agency that Muscat will go to the 18. January, when the party has had the opportunity to choose a new leader.

Other sources say that Muscat will officially announce his departure late on Saturday night or Sunday.

the prime minister has said that it is important for him to drabssagen cleared on his guard.

Muscat is under pressure from both protesters and from the family of the killed journalist. They are highly dissatisfied with his handling of the case.

the Family writes in a statement that Muscat is playing both the "judge, jury and executioner in a drabssag, which so far includes three of his closest colleagues".

the Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was known to look for information on economic crime among high-ranking maltese.

She was in October 2017 killed by a powerful bomb that was placed in her car.

Three men are arrested and awaiting trial for having brought the bomb to the blasting. They refuse all guilty.

/ritzau/