The trial by jury of Yorgen Fenech over the assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia resumes on Friday for its ninth day, as proceedings continue before Madam Justice Edwina Grima.

Thursday's sitting featured some of the most harrowing testimony heard so far, as an eyewitness described seeing Caruana Galizia alive after an initial explosion before hearing her scream moments before a second, more powerful blast engulfed the vehicle.

Jurors were also shown a series of graphic crime scene and post-mortem photographs documenting the aftermath of the assassination.

The court additionally heard from residents who recalled seeing suspicious vehicles parked near the murder scene in the weeks leading up to the killing, while a Europol expert testified that businessman Yorgen Fenech did not feature among the investigative "scenarios" identified from data extracted from the journalist's mobile phone.

Earlier this week, Arnaud concluded four days of testimony in which he outlined how the investigation developed following the murder, detailing how secret recordings made by state witness Melvin Theuma, messages recovered from the encrypted messaging app Signal and data extracted from Fenech's mobile phone became central to the prosecution's case.

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

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 De Marco and Gianluca Caruana Curran, while lawyers Therese Comodini Cachia and Jason Azzopardi are appearing parte civile on behalf of the Caruana Galizia family.

Judge Edwina Grima is presiding over the case.

09:48 Debattista tells the court that investigators isolated and preserved any material believed not to have originated from the vehicle.

Among the items recovered from the scene were lengths of thick wiring and several ball bearings.

Jurors are also shown photographs illustrating the force of the explosion, with the blast having displaced the car seats from their original positions.

Debattista tells jurors that investigators photographed the vehicle, documented the damage and collected swabs for forensic analysis. He says all of the findings were recorded in a report that forms part of the evidence before the jury.

He explains that the car was kept in a sealed compound and was accessible only to court-appointed experts. Each time forensic examinations were carried out over the course of three days, the vehicle was unsealed before being sealed again afterwards.

Jurors are shown photographs of the vehicle wrapped in protective plastic before the examination began, followed by images of the fire-damaged wreckage.

Debattista tells the court that the damage to the driver's door indicated the explosion originated from inside the vehicle. He adds that a hole in the floor beneath the driver's seat was consistent with the explosive device having been placed inside the car.

09:29 The court hears from several Scene of Crime Office (SOCO) officers, who outline the procedures followed to secure and preserve evidence in the aftermath of the explosion.

09:16 The judge and jurors have entered the courtroom, and proceedings may now commence.

08:45: Good morning and welcome to the ninth day of this trial-by-jury. We expect proceedings to get underway shortly, at around 9am.