Yorgen Fenech’s Trial By Jury Begins Today

Yorgen Fenech’s long-awaited trial by jury has officially begun today, marking a major milestone in one of the most consequential criminal cases in Malta’s recent history.

Fenech has pleaded not guilty to charges of complicity in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was killed in a car bomb outside her Bidnija home in October 2017. Prosecutors allege he masterminded the murder, an accusation he has consistently denied.

The trial comes nearly nine years after Caruana Galizia’s assassination and almost seven years after Fenech’s arrest in November 2019. Following years of constitutional challenges and other court proceedings, the case has now entered its most significant phase.

Jury selection took around five hours, with nine jurors and six reserve jurors chosen behind closed doors. Proceedings were briefly interrupted after one of the reserve jurors fainted and required medical assistance.

The bill of indictment is expected to be read later today, formally setting out the charges against Fenech before witness testimony begins. The trial is expected to last several weeks.

The courtroom has attracted significant international attention, with foreign journalists and media freedom organisations joining local media to follow proceedings. Members of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s family, including her husband and two sons, are in attendance, as is Fenech’s mother.

Lovin Malta will be following the proceedings closely, bringing you the latest updates from inside the courtroom as the trial unfolds.

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