Yorgen Fenech, a prominent billionaire from Malta and heir to a real estate empire that includes the Hilton Malta hotel and casino, has been charged with orchestrating the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. The case is being heard in Valletta, where Fenech faces two serious charges: complicity in intentional murder and criminal conspiracy.
Prosecutors allege that Fenech arranged for Caruana Galizia’s assassination by paying three hitmen a sum of €150,000 for the crime. Fenech maintains his innocence and is the last of seven men charged in connection with this high-profile case.
Caruana Galizia’s Fatal Attack
On October 16, 2017, Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed when her car exploded shortly after she left her home in Bidnija. The explosion was triggered by a bomb hidden inside a shoebox, strategically placed under the driver’s seat the night before. The attackers had surveilled her movements for weeks and detonated the device remotely via SMS.
Her son, Matthew Caruana Galizia, was the first to arrive at the scene and discovered his mother’s body in the burning vehicle. At the age of 53, she had become a target due to her investigations into government and business corruption.
Details of the €150,000 Conspiracy
According to the prosecution, the conspiracy was hatched in April 2017. Fenech contacted Melvin Theuma, a taxi driver and betting agent, to find a hitman as Caruana Galizia was about to publish an article regarding his uncle.
Theuma connected with George Degiorgio and his brother Alfred, agreeing on a price of €150,000, with an initial payment of €30,000. After a delay due to general elections, prosecutors claim Fenech personally handed a envelope of cash to Theuma to initiate the attack, claiming this time that Caruana Galizia was set to publish an article about him. The indictment also indicates that Fenech spent ‘tens of thousands’ of euros on the Degiorgio brothers’ family after their arrest.
The three assailants, the Degiorgio brothers and Vincent Muscat, were arrested shortly after the bombing. In November 2019, intermediary Melvin Theuma was also apprehended while in possession of USB sticks containing secret recordings of conversations with Fenech. While prosecutors rely on this evidence, the defense argues that Theuma’s testimony includes falsehoods.
To date, other accomplices have been convicted: the bomb suppliers received life sentences, the Degiorgio brothers are serving 40 years each, while Vincent Muscat is serving 15 years after cooperating with investigators. The intermediary Theuma has been granted clemency and included in a witness protection program.
Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for Yorgen Fenech. This scandal has not only exposed corruption but also triggered a significant political crisis, leading to the resignation of Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in December 2019.
