Maltese tycoon acquitted of orchestrating murder of renowned journalist
Daphne Caruana Galizia exposed corruption and money laundering schemes in Malta before she was killed by a car bomb in 2017.
A prominent Maltese businessman, Yorgen Fenech, 44, has been acquitted of charges related to the murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Fenech had been accused of complicity in her murder and criminal association to commit murder, charges he consistently denied.
The verdict, delivered by an 8-1 jury decision after eight hours of deliberation, was met with contrasting reactions in the Valletta courtroom. Fenech's family members reportedly erupted in cheers, while Caruana Galizia's family was seen weeping, according to Reuters.
Caruana Galizia, a vocal critic of the government, was killed by a car bomb in October 2017 at the age of 53. Her work had exposed extensive corruption networks both within Malta and internationally. Her assassination sparked widespread public outrage and protests across Malta.
In a statement reported by local media, Caruana Galizia's family expressed their sorrow, stating, "Nine years after Daphne's brutal assassination, the institutional failures that enabled her murder remain unaddressed and unreformed." They added, "Lasting justice means no person should ever face the same risks again. Our country failed to protect Daphne's life. It owes it to her to prevent other lives being lost."
During the trial, the jury heard allegations that Fenech, one of Malta's wealthiest individuals and owner of a company Caruana Galizia had investigated, desired her death because she was reportedly on the verge of revealing information about him. Fenech, however, denied these claims and, during the proceedings, pointed blame towards his former close friend, Keith Schembri, who was the former chief of staff to then-prime minister Joseph Muscat and a frequent subject of Caruana Galizia's reporting.
Police informed the court that Schembri was never considered a suspect, and he has denied any involvement in the murder. Muscat, who was never implicated in the assassination, resigned in January 2020 due to the political repercussions of the killing.
Previously, in 2022, brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio received 40-year prison sentences for Caruana Galizia's killing. Furthermore, in 2025, Robert Agius and Jamie Vella were sentenced to life imprisonment by a Maltese judge for supplying the bomb used in the attack.
Daphne Caruana Galizia gained international recognition for her investigations into corruption, money laundering, and organized crime, which she published on her blog, "Running Commentary." She played a significant role in the 2016 Panama Papers investigation, which involved leaked confidential documents from a Panamanian law firm, exposing offshore structures and leading to corruption allegations against high-ranking government officials in Malta.