Malta's attorney general files appeal against not-guilty verdict in Caruana Galizia murder case

Malta’s attorney general has formally appealed the recent jury verdict that found businessman Yorgen Fenech not guilty of complicity and criminal association in the 2017 murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. The verdict, reached by an 8-1 majority, shocked the nation and led to demonstrations, even as the individuals who built and placed the bomb remain incarcerated. Under Maltese law, the appeal can only address questions of law, and the Court of Criminal Appeal may order a new trial if it deems it necessary for justice.

In a related development, Malta police arrested three jurors, a reserve juror and a juror’s spouse for alleged social-media activity and possible misconduct during the trial; all were later released on bail and no charges have been filed. The case has kept Malta under intense international scrutiny since the killing sparked a political crisis and raised concerns about the country’s police and judiciary. Prosecutors maintain that Fenech, heir to a property empire, sought to silence Caruana Galizia because of impending revelations about his business dealings, a claim he denies.