The jury trial of Yorgen Fenech enters its third day on Friday after prosecutors spent much of Thursday laying out what they described as the chronology of the plot that led to the assassination.

Witness testimony is set to begin today.

Fenech, 44, has pleaded not guilty to two principal charges: complicity in the wilful homicide of Caruana Galizia and criminal association to commit the murder.

The second day of proceedings was dominated by the prosecution's opening address after legal arguments between the defence and prosecution delayed the start of proceedings. Jurors were eventually called into the courtroom shortly after 11am to hear Attorney General prosecutor Anthony Vella present the State's case.

The trial is expected to move further into the evidential stage today, with witness testimony continuing before Madam Justice Edwina Grima.

Five men have already been convicted in connection with Caruana Galizia's assassination. Vince Muscat admitted his role in the murder in 2021 and was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment. Alfred and George Degiorgio each received 40-year prison sentences after pleading guilty in 2022, while Robert Agius and Jamie Vella were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2025 for supplying the bomb used in the attack.

The prosecution is being led by Attorney General lawyers Godwin Cini, Anthony Vella and Danika Vella, assisted by Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud and Inspector Kurt Zahra. Fenech is represented by lawyers Charles Mercieca, Gianella Demarco and Gianluca Caruana Curran, while lawyers Therese Comodini Cachia and Jason Azzopardi are appearing parte civile on behalf of the Caruana Galizia family.

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10:15 It was noted that the victim had parked her vehicle outside the family home the previous night because she had been sharing a rental car with her son. While inspecting the suspected lookout point, investigators noticed the area was mostly undisturbed, with the exception of a discarded cigarette butt discovered under a tree. This item was treated as vital evidence, collected by forensic officers, and sent for analysis. Forensic expert Marisa Cassar later confirmed that the DNA profile recovered from the cigarette butt belonged to a man.

10:13 Investigators received a significant lead from a local resident near the Victoria Lines. The witness reported seeing a small car with a QZ registration prefix parked in the area repeatedly leading up to the day of the murder. Although the witness could not identify the driver, he noted that the man remained inside the vehicle, observing the surroundings before driving away. The witness added that this vehicle was no longer seen after the explosion, prompting police to launch an investigation into both the car and the individual observed inside it.

10:10 Following the witness's report, investigators searched the identified area and discovered what appeared to be an ideal observation point. They found a collapsed wire fence that provided access to a secluded, hidden spot. From this position, investigators confirmed there was a clear, direct view of the lane leading to the Caruana Galizia home, the gate to her residence, her usual parking spot, and the stretch of road where the detonation occurred.

10:05 Inspector Keith Arnaud explains that investigators identified two potential surveillance locations from which the victim could be monitored discreetly. One was situated along the Victoria Lines overlooking Bidnija, and the other was a garden near the MCAST campus, known as L-Għarusa tal-Mosta, which also provided a clear view of the surrounding area.

10:00 Investigators immediately began examining how the attack was coordinated. Arnaud noted that the perpetrators were clearly watching the victim, as they knew she was inside the car. Consequently, investigators began searching the Bidnija area for vantage points where her movements could have been monitored prior to the detonation.

09:57 Matthew Caruana Galizia reported that his mother had been working on her blog before leaving the house, returning briefly to retrieve a forgotten chequebook, and then driving off again shortly before the explosion. A second Europol team was established at CID headquarters to assist Maltese investigators with the influx of evidence. The crime scene remained sealed for nearly a week, and on the second day, the vehicle was moved to a secure police compound where it was kept under lock, key, and camera surveillance by the inquiring magistrate. Investigators also recovered and successfully extracted data from the victim's mobile phone.

9:55 By identifying a crater in the road, investigators pinpointed the location of the explosion. Using road markings, they reconstructed the vehicle's trajectory as it veered into an adjacent field. The investigation included eyewitness accounts and a magisterial inquiry led by Anthony Vella. Additionally, a Europol explosives expert was brought in to examine the scene and identify the components of the bomb.

9:50 After Matthew Caruana Galizia told investigators his mother had left home only a minute before the blast, police sought help from the FBI to analyse mobile phone mast data. They gathered telecommunications records from local providers to identify thousands of phone numbers connected to nearby towers at the time of the explosion. A key decision was made on the first day to leave the scene untouched until international forensic experts arrived; the area was held under the guard of police and the Armed Forces of Malta to ensure nothing was disturbed.

9:45am Investigators set two main goals: collecting forensic evidence and analyzing telecommunications to understand how the bomb was triggered. Despite the destruction, they quickly determined the device had been placed inside the vehicle, which differed from the placement seen in previous local attacks.

9:40am Inspector Arnaud recounts that on October 16, 2017, he was part of the homicide squad when police were alerted to an incident in Bidnija just before 3pm. Officers prioritized securing the scene, where they soon confirmed the victim to be journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

09:38 Arnaud's testimony has now begun as he explains his current position as Assistant Commissioner in the police's Organised Crime Unit. At the time of the murder, however, he was an inspector and led the investigation alongside his colleague Kurt Zahra.

At 3pm on 16 October 2017, Arnaud was informed of the incident in Bidnija and went straight to the murder scene with Zahra and several district police officers.

The investigation reportedly began like any other, as officers examined the crime scene. The victim was soon identified as journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. 

It was not the first car bomb attack at the time, and officers knew how to handle the situation, identifying the main lines of inquiry.

The murder weapon, a bomb, was found to have been placed in the victim's car. Arnaud says officers had to sift through the dust and debris while collecting components of the bomb. Another officer focused on establishing how the bomb was activated.

09:33 Police Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud enters the courtroom in full uniform.

He is set to testify today, in what is expected to be a lengthy sitting.

09:31 Judge Edwin Grima enters the courtroom.

Nine jurors, together with six substitutes, take their seats.

09:22 It is a calm morning, so far, in Hall 22 as the room fills up ahead of the jurors' entrance.

Lawyers for all parties have taken their seats.

09:08 Yorgen Fenech, who faces charges of complicity in the wilful homicide of journalists Daphne Caruana Galizia and criminal association to commit the murder, arrives at court