Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546037
YORGEN FENECH TRIAL SUNDAY • 2 AUGUST 2026 | maltatoday Yorgen Fenech's trial by jury Anna Calleja is a Maltese visual artist who works across figurative her usual studio practice, capturing the immediacy of the trial as Keith Schembri alleges lawyers Charles Mercieca and Gianluca Caruana Curran attempted to bribe journalist Ivan Martin. Schembri testified Johann Cremona told him he had been offered money (first €200,000, then up to €400,000) to give favourable testimony for Fenech. He also alleged that, two days before his 2020 compilation-of-evidence testimony, a "very important person" arranged a meeting for him with Fenech's lawyers Charles Mercieca and Gianluca Caruana Curran, who told him to "help Yorgen" KAYLYN LINWOOD klinwood@mediatoday.com.mt 'She never met her grandchildren,' Daphne's husband tells jurors DAPHNE Caruana Galizia will never know her grandchil- dren, jurors were told by her husband Peter yesterday as he described one of the "darkest aspects" of his wife's murder. Taking the stand in the trial by jury of Yorgen Fenech, the man accused of mastermind- ing the assassination, Peter Caruana Galizia relived the events of 16 October 2017. Peter Caruana Galizia told jurors he left home for work at 7:30am while his wife and their son Matthew were still asleep. Later that afternoon, he received news from his son Andrew—who had spoken to Matthew at the scene in Bidni- ja—that a bomb had exploded in Daphne's car. Upon reach- ing the scene, Inspector Kurt Zahra confirmed his worst fears. Describing his son's im- mediate trauma at the crime scene, Peter Caruana Galizia spoke in a heavy voice. "I mean, there are no words to explain… Matthew saw his own mother burnt and couldn't do anything about the fire." Addressing jurors directly, Peter Caruana Galizia spoke of the malicious rumours and tar- geted attacks launched against his family after the bombing. He clarified that Matthew had parked his car on the driveway, refuting conspiracy theories that claimed his son was an accomplice, who left the vehicle outside to facilitate the bomb's placement. Peter described being shocked by online disinforma- tion campaigns that circulated photos of him and his sister alongside claims of extra-mari- tal affairs. He explained that he was forced into single parent- hood, saw his wife "denied the chance to meet her grandchil- dren", and had to abandon his own legal practice because he could no longer focus. "I mean, yes, I am still alive, but the impact is unimaginable," he told jurors. He also outlined the family's extensive legal bat- tles following the assassination. He recalled filing a successful constitutional case to remove former Deputy Commissioner Silvio Valletta from the mur- der investigation due to his close personal friendship with Yorgen Fenech. He noted that the family successfully peti- tioned the Council of Europe to launch an independent pub- lic inquiry into the state's role, and confirmed an ongoing civil lawsuit for damages filed against Yorgen Fenech, George and Alfred Degiorgio, Vince Muscat (il-Koħħu), Robert and Adrian Agius (Ta' Maksar), and middleman Melvin Theu- ma. During cross-examination, defence lawyer Giannella de Marco presented an October 2018 letter drafted by BCGL Advocates to lead investigator Inspector Keith Arnaud, which listed ongoing investigations Daphne Caruana Galizia was actively pursuing. Displayed on courtroom monitors, the document identified main sub- jects including Keith Schembri, Konrad Mizzi, most promi- nently Electrogas shareholders Yorgen Fenech, Mark Gasan, and Paul Apap Bologna, as well as Dubai entity 17 Black. The list also referenced al- legations involving cigarette smuggling, Russian nationals, 'Debono-Farrugia', and former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. When De Marco pointed out that Caruana Galizia had not completed these investi- gations, her husband replied: "No, because she was killed." Yorgen Fenech is pleading not guilty to complicity in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. The prosecution is led by AG lawyers Godwin Cini, An- thony Vella, and Danika Vella, with Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud and Inspector Kurt Zahra. Defence is led by lawyers Charles Mercieca, Gi- annella de Marco and Gianlu- ca Caruana Curran. Lawyers Therese Comodini Cachia and Jason Azzopardi are appearing parte civile for the Caruana Galizia family. Judge Edwina Grima is presiding over the jury.