Businessman Acquitted in Malta Journalist Murder Trial
The businessman on trial for the 2017 bomb attack that killed investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has been found not guilty by a court decision.
In Malta, businessman Yorgen Fenech, who was accused of being the mastermind behind the 2017 bomb attack that claimed the life of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, has been acquitted by a jury and cleared of all charges.
Court Decision and Trial Process
Yorgen Fenech, the 44-year-old Maltese businessman held responsible for the prominent journalist's death, was cleared in the trial where he faced charges of complicity in murder and membership in a criminal organization.
Following an eight-hour jury deliberation in a crowded courtroom in Valletta, Fenech was acquitted by an eight-to-one vote, prompting joy among his relatives in the courtroom while the journalist's family expressed deep sorrow.
Past Trials and Sentences
Regarding the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, who exposed government corruption networks and was killed in October 2017 by a bomb planted under her car, brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio were sentenced to 40 years in prison each in 2022.
Additionally, two individuals named Robert Agius and Jamie Vella, who stood trial in Malta in 2025, were sentenced to life imprisonment for providing the bomb used in the attack.
Charges and the Defense
During the trial, it was alleged that Fenech orchestrated the murder because the journalist was about to publish certain information regarding him.
Denying all charges, Fenech during the proceedings deflected responsibility toward Keith Schembri, his close friend and former chief of staff to the then-prime minister Joseph Muscat.
Family Statements and Reactions
In a statement following the court's verdict, the journalist's family stated that, despite the long time that has passed since the assassination, the institutional shortcomings that paved the way for the murder have still not been addressed.
Caruana Galizia, internationally known for her roles in the Panama Papers investigation, had her killing spark massive public protests and reactions on the streets of Malta at the time.