A Maltese court has been told that hitmen were paid €150,000 to assassinate investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was killed by a car bomb in October 2017. The revelation came during the trial of Yorgen Fenech, a prominent businessman accused of orchestrating the murder.
Jury hears details of payment
Prosecutors presented evidence that three men were hired to carry out the killing, receiving a total of €150,000. The payment was allegedly made by Fenech, who owned a luxury hotel and was a key figure in Malta's business community. The jury heard that the hitmen were given €50,000 each for their roles in planting the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia outside her home.
Background of the case
Daphne Caruana Galizia, 53, was a prominent anti-corruption blogger who had exposed wrongdoing in Malta's political and business circles. Her murder sparked widespread outrage and international condemnation. Fenech was arrested in 2019 on a yacht as he tried to leave Malta, and he has pleaded not guilty to complicity in the murder.
Trial proceedings
The trial, which began in 2021, has been closely watched as a test of Malta's rule of law. The prosecution has called dozens of witnesses, including police officers and forensic experts. The defense has argued that the evidence against Fenech is circumstantial and that he is being scapegoated. The jury is expected to deliver a verdict later this year.
