A Maltese jury has acquitted businessman Yorgen Fenech of charges related to the 2017 car-bomb killing of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. After a 55-day trial and eight hours of deliberation, the jury in Valletta delivered an eight-to-one verdict clearing Fenech of complicity to murder and criminal association to commit murder. The verdict, announced in early September 2026, sparked tears among Caruana Galizia’s family members present in the courtroom, while relatives of Fenech celebrated.
Caruana Galizia, known for her investigative journalism focused on corruption in Malta, was killed by a bomb planted under her car in October 2017. Her reporting had implicated key figures, including politicians and business leaders, and played a role in forcing an early election. Her family expressed deep disappointment with the verdict, stating it denied her the justice she deserved and called attention to ongoing institutional failures in Malta that have yet to be addressed.
Fenech, 44, a prominent property developer with holdings in hotels, casinos, and energy interests, was arrested in 2019 while attempting to flee the country on his yacht. His arrest followed testimony from Melvin Theuma, a taxi driver and middleman who alleged Fenech paid him €150,000 to organize the killing. Theuma and three others connected to the bombing confessed after being tracked to the scene. Nevertheless, the jury found Theuma’s testimony insufficient to convict Fenech.
During the trial, Fenech denied ordering the murder, claiming instead that he acted as an intermediary between Theuma and Keith Schembri, the former chief of staff to then-Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. Schembri, who was a frequent subject of Caruana Galizia’s reporting, also denied any involvement and has never been formally investigated. Fenech’s defense highlighted alleged obstructions and leaks within the police investigation and argued that the true mastermind had not been prosecuted.
The murder had profound political consequences in Malta. It intensified scrutiny of widespread corruption tied to government contracts, offshore banking, and the sale of EU passports. The scandal led to the resignation of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in 2020, although he was never directly linked to the killing. Muscat’s former chief of staff Schembri also left public life amid the fallout.
Anti-corruption campaigners and journalist advocacy groups condemned the verdict as a setback for justice and press freedom. They warned it could embolden impunity in attacks against journalists and called for a comprehensive national reckoning regarding corruption and institutional weaknesses. An independent inquiry published in 2021 assigned state responsibility for creating an environment of impunity but noted many of its recommendations remain unimplemented.
Fenech still faces separate charges, including bribery related to the ElectroGas company and attempting to bribe a police officer investigating his businesses. Meanwhile, Caruana Galizia’s family continues to demand accountability for all involved in the assassination, emphasizing the need for reforms to ensure the protection of journalists and the rule of law in Malta.