Malta’s attorney general has appealed a jury verdict that acquitted businessman Yorgen Fenech of charges related to the murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Caruana Galizia was killed in October 2017 when a bomb planted in her car exploded as she was leaving her home in Malta.

The men convicted of planting and making the bomb are serving lengthy prison sentences. Fenech, who prosecutors have accused of being the alleged mastermind behind the killing, was acquitted earlier in September by an 8-1 jury verdict following a two-month trial.

The acquittal shocked Malta and prompted protests, with civil society groups expressing concern over the outcome of the case.

The grounds for the attorney general’s appeal were not immediately made public. Under Malta’s legal system, appeals in jury trials are generally restricted to questions of law.

The Criminal Code allows the Court of Criminal Appeal to order a retrial if it determines that the interests of justice require one.

The appeal comes after Malta police confirmed that three jurors, a reserve juror and the husband of another juror had been arrested and questioned over alleged social media posts and concerns surrounding the conduct of the trial.

Police also raised suspicions that one juror may have had access to a mobile phone while being sequestered during the proceedings.

All four individuals were released on police bail, and no charges had been filed against them at the time of the Reuters report.

Caruana Galizia’s murder nine years ago sent shockwaves across Europe and triggered a major political crisis in Malta. The case also brought international scrutiny to the country’s police and judicial institutions.

Prosecutors alleged that Fenech, an heir to a business empire with interests including hotels and casinos, wanted Caruana Galizia killed because she was allegedly preparing to publish information about his business dealings.

Fenech has denied the allegations against him.

The attorney general’s appeal means the legal proceedings surrounding the acquittal will continue.

SOURCE: Reuters, September 22, 2026.