**Judge Addresses Jury as Yorgen Fenech Trial Enters Closing Phase**
*Valletta, 31 August 2026* – Madam Justice Edwina Grima began addressing the jurors on Monday morning, delivering the legal directions that will precede their deliberations in the high‑profile trial of businessman Yorgen Fenech.
Fenech, 44, has pleaded not guilty to two charges: complicity in the 2017 assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and membership of a criminal organisation alleged to have been created to carry out the murder. Caruana Galizia, a columnist for *The Malta Independent*, was killed by a car bomb on 16 October 2017.
**Background of the case**
Five men have already been convicted in connection with the journalist’s murder. In 2021, Vince Muscat admitted his role and was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment. In 2022, Alfred and George Degiorgio each received 40‑year sentences after pleading guilty. In 2025, Robert Agius and Jamie Vella were sentenced to life imprisonment for supplying the bomb used in the attack.
**Legal teams**
The prosecution is being led by Attorney‑General lawyers Godwin Cini, Anthony Vella and Danika Vella, assisted by Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud and Inspector Kurt Zahra. Fenech is represented by Charles Mercieca, Giannella de Marco and Gianluca Caruana Curran. Lawyers Therese Comodini Cachia and Jason Azzopardi appear *parte civile* on behalf of the Caruana Galizia family.
**Judge’s directions**
During the address, Justice Grima clarified several points of Maltese law for the jurors:
* **Role of witnesses** – She distinguished between a principal offender and an accomplice, noting that Muscat, who testified after entering a plea bargain, was considered the principal in the crime. She explained that a plea bargain involves a joint request by the accused and the Attorney General for a reduced sentence in exchange for a guilty plea and cooperation.
* **Presidential pardons** – The judge emphasized that a presidential pardon does not automatically guarantee the truthfulness of a witness’s testimony. However, she warned that a pardon can be revoked if the witness lies, making them subject to criminal prosecution.
* **Assessing credibility** – Justice Grima used analogies, including a jigsaw‑puzzle metaphor, to illustrate how jurors should evaluate testimony against other evidence. She stressed the importance of consistency, both within a witness’s own statements and in relation to other testimonies, and advised jurors to consider demeanor without automatically equating nervousness with dishonesty.
* **Evidence standards** – She reminded jurors that under Maltese law a single reliable witness can be sufficient for conviction, but that particular caution is required when the witness is an accomplice who has turned state witness. She also clarified the distinction between direct evidence (what a witness saw or heard) and indirect, circumstantial evidence.
* **Jury’s role** – The judge reiterated that jurors are “sovereign judges of fact,” tasked with applying the law to the evidence presented. She warned them to disregard any external commentary, media headlines on court‑provided tablets, or emotional influences, and to base their verdict solely on the admissible evidence.
* **Deliberation framework** – Justice Grima outlined the three legal choices available to jurors when assessing any testimony: to accept it in full, reject it entirely, or accept parts of it while discarding others. She also described the three magisterial inquiries whose evidence was admitted – the homicide inquiry, the “Daphne Leaks” inquiry, and the money‑laundering inquiry involving Melvin Theuma.
**Next steps**
Following the judge’s summing‑up, the jurors will retire to a sequestered room to deliberate on whether Fenech is guilty of the two charges. The verdict will be delivered after the jury reaches a unanimous decision.
The trial, which has spanned more than two months, is one of Malta’s most closely watched legal proceedings, reflecting the ongoing pursuit of accountability for the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Article and image source: independent.com.mt
