A Maltese court acquits businessman Yorgen Fenech of orchestrating the 2017 car-bomb murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, a verdict that draws condemnation from her family and press freedom advocates. Multiple outlets describe Fenech as the last man tried over the assassination, which drew significant public attention after the killing.
Fenech was on trial for complicity to murder and for criminal association to commit murder, according to reporting that details the two charges he faced. Sources also note that the case helped trigger major protests and contributed to the collapse of a Maltese government, turning the proceedings into a high-profile test of accountability in a corruption and media freedom context.
While all accounts focus on the acquittal, outlets differ mainly in emphasis. Some foreground the reaction—outrage and disappointment from Caruana Galizia’s family, and ongoing demands for justice. Others highlight that the verdict comes after a two-month trial and that the prosecution is expected to appeal, with observers describing the decision as a blow to campaigners who viewed the case as landmark for press protection.
