Sawt Falasteen - Brothers get 40 years for car bomb murder of Maltese journalist

Caruana Galizia, 53, was one of Malta's most prominent public figures. Once described as a "one-woman WikiLeaks", she was a vocal critic of the country's political elite in her blog, accusing them of cronyism and corruption.

"There are crooks everywhere you look now," she wrote, hours before the attack that killed her on October 16, 2017. "The situation is desperate."

The sentences handed down to George and Alfred Degiorgio came on the first day of their trial -- and nearly five years to the day that she was murdered.

Friday's dramatic proceedings had seen the pair plead not guilty before a judge in the morning, before changing their pleas hours later.

"Today's judgement is another important step towards justice for the Caruana Galizia family," Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Twitter.

"We remain determined to see full justice delivered for the family and for Malta."

In a statement released by his office, he added: "In parallel, the government will continue implementing important reforms to strengthen further the rule of law principles and democracy in Malta."

- 'Investigate your friends' -

The much-delayed trial of the brothers -- charged with homicide, causing a fatal explosion and criminal conspiracy, among other crimes -- began Friday with a dramatic outburst from defendant George Degiorgio.

"Don't you know who killed Daphne?" Degiorgio called to the prosecution upon entering court.

"Your friends, those you were shoulder to shoulder with... Go investigate them!"

A third hitman, Vincent Muscat, had already pleaded guilty last year and was jailed for 15 years.

Judge Edwina Grima had refused a defence request to suspend the trial which had been based on what they said had been the lack of time to prepare.

Courtroom observers Friday included representatives from press freedom groups, including Reporters without Borders and the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom.

The Degiorgio brothers said last year they were prepared to implicate a former government minister in exchange for a pardon, which was not granted.

George Degiorgio confessed to the crime during an interview from jail in July, calling it "just business".

Early Friday, he repeated his previously stated not guilty plea before the court.

His brother Alfred, seated in a wheelchair, said "I have nothing to say," which the court recorded as a not guilty plea.

But within hours, both had changed their pleas to guilty.

- Malta in spotlight -

Caruana Galizia's assassination sparked outrage around the world and put Malta, the European Union's smallest member state, in the spotlight over its apparent rule-of-law failings.

Joseph Muscat resigned as prime minister over the affair in January 2020, following mass protests over his perceived efforts to protect friends and allies from the investigation.

A 2021 public inquiry into Caruana Galizia's murder found the state should bear responsibility for her death, by creating a "climate of impunity" for those who wanted to silence her.

Still awaiting trial is wealthy Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech, considered by prosecutors to be the alleged mastermind of the murder.

Sunday will mark the fifth anniversary of Caruana Galizia's murder.

K.AbuTaha--SF-PST