Jorgen Fenech acquitted of masterminding Daphne Caruana Galizia murder
Maltese businessman Jorgen Fenech has been cleared by a jury of masterminding the 2017 car bomb murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A Maltese jury has acquitted businessman Jorgen Fenech of masterminding the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was killed in a car bomb attack in 2017. The verdict, delivered almost a decade after her death, means Fenech walks free on charges that he organised and paid for the killing.
Caruana Galizia was a fearless anti-corruption journalist whose investigations targeted the highest levels of Malta's government. Her work exposed alleged tax havens linked to the inner circle of the then prime minister, Joseph Muscat, and she had made enemies across the political and business establishment. In 2017, she was killed in broad daylight outside her family home, sparking mass protests across Malta and demands for justice.
Fenech had ties to the government through a controversial power station contract, and her reporting had focused on corruption around that deal. The public outrage over her murder ultimately led to Muscat's resignation in 2020. Five men are currently serving prison sentences in connection with the killing, but Fenech's acquittal is a heavy blow to her family. In a statement, they said the institutional failures that enabled her death remain unaddressed. Her family say they are still fighting for the full truth.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| A Maltese jury acquitted Jorgen Fenech of masterminding and paying for Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder. | |
| Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed in a car bomb attack in 2017. | |
| Five men are currently serving prison sentences over Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV News at Ten focused on the acquittal as a significant development in a case that had shocked Europe. The report placed the verdict in the context of Caruana Galizia's anti-corruption work, the political fallout including Muscat's resignation, and the family's continued fight for justice. It also noted that five men are already serving sentences, giving a sense of partial accountability.
- “Today, the businessman accused of masterminding the car bombing that killed her was cleared by a Maltese jury.”
- “A crusader against corruption. It's a fight her family say they're still fighting.”
- “The outrage over her death ultimately leading to Muscat's resignation in 2020.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.