Maltese businessman paid hitmen €150,000 to kill Daphne Caruana Galizia, jury hears

Yorgen Fenech, a prominent Maltese businessman, allegedly orchestrated the assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, paying €150,000 to three hitmen to carry out the murder. Fenech, 44, heir to a substantial property empire that includes the Hilton Malta hotel and casino, is currently on trial for his alleged role in the 2017 killing.

The jury heard detailed accounts of the alleged plot, which involved hiring the hitmen to carry out the murder. The prosecution presented evidence suggesting Fenech was the mastermind behind the assassination, which shocked the island nation and drew international condemnation.

Caruana Galizia, a renowned investigative journalist, was known for her work exposing corruption and alleged wrongdoing within Malta's political and business circles. Her murder, carried out via a car bomb outside her home, remains a deeply sensitive and significant event in Malta's recent history, with Fenech's trial representing a crucial step in seeking justice.