Photo | Pippa Zammit Cutajar

Recent developments in the assassination case of Daphne Caruana Galizia have led to one of the three accused of executing the murder, Vincent Muscat, currently in custody, pleading guilty to the charge. This has led to Muscat being condemned to 15 years effective jail time, meaning that there are now two separate cases: the case against Vince Muscat and the case against the Degiorgio brothers, the other two accused of being the executioners. 

According to various media reports, Vince Muscat has been granted a plea bargaining deal following information disclosed in relation to the murder of lawyer Dr. Carmel Chircop, who was murdered in Birkirkara, Malta, back in 2015. Additionally, almost three and a half years after the journalist was killed, three men suspected of involvement in supplying the bomb used in the assassination have been arrested. 

Gamag Malta-Gamag Europe joins the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia in expressing hope that these developments will serve as a step towards full justice for the murdered journalist, as well as for her stories. This means that, although one person has now admitted to his involvement, it is imperative that all those who in one way or another, played a part in or facilitated that this murder takes place are brought to justice.

Caruana Galizia was killed because of her investigative work. The three mean accused of planting and detonating the bomb were not being investigated by the murdered journalist – they are but part of a chain of command, and all accomplices should be made accountable: those who ordered and paid for the murder, those who knew about it and let it happen, as well as those who tried to cover it up.

This is what full justice for Daphne and her stories should look like. And full justice can only be obtained once all the truth is uncovered.

Journalists should be free to practice their profession without fear or favour. The crime that was Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination made Malta a more dangerous place for journalists to work in. Her death was also meant to silence all others from pursuing stories about crime and corruption. Yet, it is because of other brave journalists, who persisted and sought to uncover the facts, that we are now edging closer to uncovering the whole truth.

Gamag Malta-Gamag Europe reiterates that the protection of journalists is crucial to the functioning of a healthy democracy. When a journalist is killed, we all lose. And it is only when justice is served that society can start to heal.