Archive · 2 Sep 2026
Maltese Jury Acquits Businessman in Journalist’s Murder Trial
A jury in Malta decided that businessman Yorgen Fenech was not guilty of helping arrange journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder.
Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb in 2017.
Prosecutors said Fenech ordered and paid for the killing.
A witness named Melvin Theuma gave evidence against him.
Fenech denied the accusations and his lawyers pointed to Keith Schembri, who also denied involvement.
The jury discussed the case for about eight hours.
Eight jurors supported the acquittal and one did not.
Caruana Galizia’s family said that problems in Malta’s institutions had still not been fixed.
A Maltese jury acquitted businessman Yorgen Fenech of both charges related to Daphne Caruana Galizia’s 2017 murder.
The verdict followed about eight hours of deliberation and was reached by an 8-1 margin.
Fenech had faced complicity to murder and the lesser charge of criminal association to commit murder.
Prosecution witness Melvin Theuma testified that Fenech ordered and funded the killing and paid the hitmen’s legal costs.
Caruana Galizia’s family criticized continuing institutional failures, while Fenech’s family celebrated the acquittal.
- Who
- Businessman Yorgen Fenech was tried over the killing of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia; Melvin Theuma testified for the prosecution.
- What
- A nine-member jury acquitted Fenech of complicity to murder and criminal association to commit murder.
- When
- The verdict was delivered on Wednesday, September 2, after about eight hours of deliberation; the killing occurred in October 2017.
- Where
- The verdict was delivered in a packed courtroom in Valletta, Malta.
- Why
- Prosecutors alleged that Fenech wanted Caruana Galizia killed because she was about to reveal information about him.
Prosecution Allegations
Defense and Verdict
Responsibility for the killing
Prosecution Allegations
The prosecution relied on Melvin Theuma’s testimony that Fenech ordered and funded the murder and paid the hitmen’s legal defense.
Defense and Verdict
Fenech denied the accusations, and the jury acquitted him of both charges.
Possible motive
Prosecution Allegations
The prosecution said Fenech wanted Caruana Galizia killed because she was about to reveal information about him.
Defense and Verdict
Fenech’s defense pointed to his former close friend Keith Schembri, a target of Caruana Galizia’s blogs; Schembri denied involvement and police said he had never been a suspect.
Meaning of the outcome
Prosecution Allegations
Caruana Galizia’s family said the institutional failures that enabled her murder remained unaddressed and called for reforms to prevent similar deaths.
Defense and Verdict
Fenech’s family celebrated after the jury cleared him following about eight hours of deliberation.
- Defendant
- Yorgen Fenech, 44
- Victim
- Daphne Caruana Galizia, a prominent anti-corruption journalist
- Cause of death
- Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb in October 2017
- Verdict
- Acquitted of both charges by an 8-1 jury margin
- Charges
- Complicity to murder and criminal association to commit murder
- Prosecution witness
- Melvin Theuma, an alleged middleman who turned state’s evidence
- Trial
- The trial began on July 1 and ended after closing arguments and jury deliberations