A witness told a court that journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia screamed in panic moments before a two-stage explosion killed her in a car bombing in 2017. Yorgen Fenech, heir to a property fortune, faces a life sentence if convicted of ordering the murder.
The trial of Yorgen Fenech is a crucial step in seeking justice for the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a prominent investigative journalist whose work exposed corruption in Malta. The witness testimony provides a harrowing account of her final moments and the brutal nature of the attack.
A witness testified in court that journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia screamed in panic moments before a remotely detonated bomb killed her in 2017. The neighbor, Francis Sant, who was driving in the opposite direction, saw her car just before the explosion.
Sant described what appeared to be a two-stage explosion. The first spark, like a firework, ignited under the car, leaving Caruana Galizia conscious and seemingly panicked. He heard her scream, suggesting she tried to roll down her window. A second, larger explosion then tore the car apart, sending it into a field.
Yorgen Fenech, heir to a property and hotels fortune, faces a life sentence if convicted of ordering the murder. He denies the charges. The trial began after a lengthy legal process.
Police officers also testified, describing the scene as a "total loss" with body parts found in the field. Photographs of the victim's burned body and the crater in the road were presented to the court.