Men Sentenced to Life for Supplying Bomb in Maltese Journalist's Murder

A Maltese judge has sentenced two men to life in prison for their role in the 2017 assassination of anti-corruption journalist. The murder of the journalist sparked widespread outrage and had significant repercussions, including a high-profile resignation in 2019.

Robert Agius and Jamie Vella were convicted on Friday after a trial lasting over six weeks. The jury reached an 8-1 verdict, concluding that the two men supplied the explosive material used in the bombing in exchange for payment. Both defendants had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The sentence was delivered on Tuesday, following legal arguments regarding the appropriate punishment. The journalist was killed on October 17, 2017, when a bomb detonated in her car as she was leaving her home.

Two other men, brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio, are currently serving 40-year jail terms after admitting to setting off the bomb. A third individual, Vince Muscat, also confessed to his involvement and is serving a 15-year sentence after cooperating with authorities and providing testimony against the Degiorgios, Agius, and Vella.

Muscat's testimony detailed meetings held to plan the murder, the acquisition of the military-grade bomb, its transportation in a children's shoe box, and its placement in the journalist's car. The bomb was detonated remotely from a yacht.

The alleged mastermind behind the murder, a prominent Maltese businessman, is awaiting trial. The court has issued a ban on media references to this individual to avoid influencing potential jurors.