The trial of a prominent Maltese businessman accused of orchestrating the 2017 car bomb murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has opened in Valletta, with the European Union vowing to ensure justice in a case that has become a symbol of the threats facing press freedom across the bloc. Yorgen Fenech, 42, heir to a luxury hotel and gaming empire, pleaded not guilty on Monday to complicity in the killing that shocked the world and triggered a crisis of confidence in Malta's rule of law.
The courtroom, a low-ceilinged chamber in the law courts, was packed with journalists, diplomats and activists. Caruana Galizia's family, wearing black, sat in the front row. The prosecution alleges that Fenech, who ran his family's business conglomerate, paid €150,000 to three suspected hitmen to silence the journalist, who had exposed corruption at the highest levels of Maltese politics. The state's case rests heavily on the testimony of a self-confessed middleman, Melvin Theuma, who was granted a presidential pardon after revealing a web of conspiracy that ensnared Fenech and allegedly reached the inner circle of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.
As the trial begins, the European Commission has reiterated its commitment to fundamental rights. “The EU stands for the rule of law and press freedom,” said a spokesperson in Brussels. “We will monitor this trial closely and expect the Maltese authorities to leave no stone unturned.” The statement reflects a broader unease: Caruana Galizia's murder laid bare the vulnerabilities of Mediterranean democracies, where organised crime and political patronage often intertwine. For years, Malta has ranked poorly in press freedom indexes, and the case has fuelled calls for stronger EU oversight of member states' judicial systems.
Fenech's defence team has argued that Theuma, with a criminal record, is an unreliable witness, and that no forensic evidence directly links their client to the bomb. But the indictment details a chilling narrative of surveillance, burner phones and a failed attempt to buy a ballistic vest for the killer, hinting at premeditation. The murder weapon, a remote-detonated bomb placed under Caruana Galizia's rented Peugeot 108, killed her instantly as she drove away from her home in Bidnija.
The trial, expected to last months, will test Malta's judicial independence and its capacity to convict a figure of Fenech's wealth and influence. It comes after years of public protests, an international inquiry and the resignation of Prime Minister Muscat. For the EU, the verdict will resonate beyond the courtroom: a failure to secure conviction could embolden those who see journalism as a crime. As the journalist's sister, Corinne Vella, said outside court: “Daphne was murdered because she told the truth. This trial is about whether that truth will be buried with her.”
