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Malta: Businessman acquitted of journalist's murder
dw.com • • world
Key Points:
- Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech was acquitted of charges accusing him of commissioning the 2017 car bomb murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was killed near her home.
- Caruana Galizia, known for exposing political and business corruption in Malta, faced around 40 libel suits before her death, which sparked significant outrage across Europe.
- Fenech was cleared by a jury with an 8-1 margin of complicity for murder and criminal association to commit murder; he denied involvement and did not comment after the verdict.
- Caruana Galizia's family condemned the acquittal, stating that institutional failures leading to her murder remain unaddressed and emphasized the need for reforms to ensure justice and protection for journalists.
- Five other individuals were convicted for involvement in the murder, with three found guilty of carrying it out, and all are currently imprisoned.
