In brief
Police on Malta arrested 44‑year‑old Yorgen Fenech for his alleged role in the 2017 car‑bomb killing of prominent journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Fenech, who denies all accusations, stands trial in Valletta with a jury sworn in on Wednesday. The judge ruled that the case would last several weeks, amid widespread public anger that the murder exposed deep corruption. Earlier convictions saw the Degiorgio brothers sentenced to 40 years, while two other men received life terms for supplying the explosive device. The trial follows efforts to bring accountability to the death that stunned the island.
Policymakers and the public are in heightened tension as Yorgen Fenech, a 44‑year‑old Maltese businessman, faces trial in Valletta for alleged complicity in the 2017 car‑bomb killing of prominent investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Fenech denies all charges, but prosecutors argue that he aided the plot that led to Galizia’s death, which shocked Malta and spurred international calls for justice.
The case follows a series of convictions: in 2022 the Degiorgio brothers were sentenced to 40 years for the murder, and 2025 saw two men jailed for life for supplying the bomb. Their associate, Vincent Muscat, received a pardon after testifying against them.
The trial began Wednesday in Valletta, with a jury sworn in for the high‑profile proceedings. At the start of the hearing, the crime’s family — including three of Galizia’s sons — were present inside the courtroom, an indication of the case’s emotional weight.
Fenech’s fate will take several weeks as the court follows the evidence presented by both defence and prosecution. The outcome could set a precedent for accountability in Malta’s ongoing scrutiny of political corruption.
