protesters demanded that the government resign. >> konrad mizzi, keith schembri, 17 [ bleep ] black.l out because the truth is out, and you have been exposed. >> reporter: despite the protests and the public embarrassment, prime minister muscat stood by his right-hand man. >> and you still have full faith in him? >> i said yes. >> it just went on and on and on and on. all with the protection of joseph muscat. joseph muscat had many opportunities to fire keith schembri based on the evidence that we are putting into the public domain. he didn't do it. he never did it. >> reporter: it looked like a stalemate. but then in the fall of 2019 came an unexpected twist. a taxi driver was arrested in an unrelated money laundering case, and the alleged small-time crook started to sing. what he had to say shook malta to its core. i'm a performer. -always have been. -and always will be. never letting anything get in my way. not the doubts, distractions, or voice in my head. and certainly not arthritis. new voltaren provides powerful arthritis pain relief to help me keep moving. and it can help you