State Prosecutors File Appeal Against Yorgen Fenech Acquittal
· Updated
In brief
- The Attorney General has formally appealed the verdict clearing Yorgen Fenech of all charges linked to Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder.
- The application challenges multiple legal rulings from the trial, paving the way for the appellate court to consider ordering a retrial.
- A nine-member jury had previously acquitted the businessman of complicity in murder and criminal conspiracy.
State prosecutors have officially filed an appeal contesting the recent acquittal of businessman Yorgen Fenech.
The comprehensive legal submission challenges multiple points of law that arose during the proceedings, arguing that significant procedural and interpretive issues affected the jury's verdict.
Fenech had faced charges of complicity in the 2017 assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, as well as associating with a criminal network. A nine-member jury cleared him of both counts earlier this month.
The filing moves the matter before the Court of Criminal Appeal. Under Maltese legal procedure, the appeals bench has the authority to examine whether misdirections or legal errors took place and decide whether a retrial should be ordered.
The application submitted by the prosecution is extensive, setting out specific contestations regarding legal guidance and evidentiary decisions made prior to the jurors entering deliberations.
Defence lawyers are expected to submit their formal reply to the application before the appellate court convenes to hear oral arguments from both parties.
The Spin Room
Low media divide. All reporting outlets covered the formal appeal filing consistently, focusing on the legal grounds and potential retrial.
Updates
- : Updated with reporting from The Malta Independent and NET News: prosecutors formally submitted their appeal contesting the jury verdict before the Court of Criminal Appeal.