Maltese Businessman Yorgen Fenech Acquitted in Murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia

A jury in Valletta has acquitted Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech of charges related to the 2017 assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Fenech, 44, had been accused of criminal association and complicity in the murder. He consistently denied all allegations throughout the trial.

Following eight hours of deliberation, the jury cleared Fenech on both counts by an 8-1 margin. The verdict sparked emotional reactions in the packed courtroom, where members of Fenech's family cheered while relatives of Caruana Galizia wept upon hearing the decision.

Trial Arguments and Political Fallout

During the trial, prosecutors argued that Fenech, one of Malta's wealthiest individuals, sought to have Caruana Galizia killed because she was preparing to expose information about him. Fenech was the owner of a firm that the journalist had investigated prior to her death.

In his defense, Fenech directed blame toward Keith Schembri, the former chief of staff to then-Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. Schembri was a frequent target of Caruana Galizia's reporting and a former close friend of Fenech. However, police testified that Schembri was never considered a suspect, and Schembri has denied any involvement in the assassination. The broader political fallout from the murder previously led to the resignation of Prime Minister Muscat in January 2020, though Muscat was never implicated in the crime.

Prior Convictions and Family Response

Caruana Galizia, 53, was killed by a car bomb in October 2017. Known for her blog Running Commentary, she covered high-level corruption, money laundering, and organized crime, including disclosures linked to the 2016 Panama Papers leak. Her death sparked mass public outrage and widespread protests across Malta.

Several individuals have already been convicted in connection with the fatal bombing. In 2022, brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio were sentenced to 40 years in prison for carrying out the murder. Later, in 2025, a judge handed life sentences to Robert Agius and Jamie Vella for providing the explosive device used in the attack.

Following the verdict, Caruana Galizia's family released a statement criticizing institutional failures, stating that the systemic issues that permitted her assassination remain unreformed years after her death. The family emphasized that true justice requires ensuring no other person faces similar dangers in Malta.