Yorgen Fenech’s Trial Re-opens Debate Over Who Ordered Daphne Caruana Galizia’s Murder

The trial of Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech for complicity in the October 2017 car-bomb killing of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia resumed on July 1. Fenech, 44, faces a possible life sentence for murder-related complicity and up to 18 years for a secondary charge of criminal association. The prosecution relies on testimony from self-confessed middleman Melvin Theuma, who says Fenech paid €150,000 to hire the three men who planted the bomb. Defence lawyer Charles Mercieca has shifted focus to former chief of staff Keith Schembri, asserting that Schembri, not Fenech, ordered the killing. The trial is expected to conclude “some time next month.”

The GuardianThe Straits Times

Caruana Galizia’s murder shocked Europe and triggered a political crisis in Malta. The three bomb-planting men were convicted, and the Degiorgio brothers and associate Vincent Muscat were arrested on December 4 2017 and later sentenced. Former prime minister Joseph Muscat resigned in January 2020 after allegations that his government protected individuals linked to the killing. Schembri stepped down from his government role in November 2019.

The Straits Times

• Three bomb-planting men have been convicted.

The Guardian

• Theuma claims Fenech supplied €150,000 for the hit and later handed over €400,000 for the Degiorgio brothers’ legal costs.

The Guardian

• Fenech’s defence alleges Schembri kept a file of Caruana Galizia’s articles, suggesting a motive tied to personal attacks.

The Straits Times

• Police state that Schembri was never a suspect and was not identified as a mastermind.

The Guardian

• Godwin Cini, the prosecution lawyer, asked Fenech, “Would I be correct in saying you were the one with the power, not Melvin Theuma?”

The Guardian

• Judge Edwina Grima probed Theuma’s credibility, asking, “Why did Melvin Theuma feel he had power?”

The Guardian

• “Then I was in the kitchen and Melvin came up to me and said ‘we can easily get rid of her’,” — Yorgen Fenech

The Guardian

• “It seemed a bit over the top, so I played it down and offered him a drink. I went outside for a smoke and Melvin and Keith continued chatting.” — Yorgen Fenech

The Guardian

• “When I told Melvin, he brushed it off at first,” — Yorgen Fenech

The Guardian

• Defence claim: Schembri ordered the murder, supported by Fenech’s testimony about the article file.

The Guardian

• Prosecution/Police position: Schembri was never a suspect; investigators found no evidence linking him to the planning or financing.

The Guardian

• Theuma’s credibility: Mercieca called his account a “fairytale,” while the prosecution relies on recorded conversations between Theuma and Fenech. The court has not yet resolved these assessments.

The Guardian

The trial, which began on July 1, is slated to finish “some time next month.” The court will consider sentencing if convictions are secured. The outcome may influence ongoing investigations into Malta’s political elite and the broader fight against corruption highlighted by Caruana Galizia’s reporting.

The Straits Times