The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation has issued damning criticism on Malta’s jury system following the acquittal of Lorin Scicluna in the Lassana Cisse murder trial, warning that the current system is allowing people accused of murder to walk free.The Foundation accused Malta’s justice system of effectively legitimising murder through acquittals, calling for immediate and drastic reforms.“Malta’s jury system serves murderers better than justice for their victims,” the Foundation declared.The organisation highlighted that Scicluna’s lawyers had secured a 30-year plea deal before his eventual acquittal, arguing that this raised serious questions about the outcome.“No one needs a plea deal if they are innocent, just as no one asks for a pardon if they are not guilty,” the Foundation claimed, drawing comparisons with Yorgen Fenech, who it said had requested a pardon five times in connection with Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder.The Foundation also pointed to the 8-1 jury vote acquitting Scicluna, comparing it to the acquittal of Fenech on 2nd September.According to the organisation, both verdicts highlight serious weaknesses in a jury system that has remained largely unchanged for almost 200 years.One of its main concerns is that jurors are not required to explain their decisions, leaving both prosecutors and defence lawyers without a clear understanding of the reasoning behind a verdict.The Foundation argued that this lack of transparency also makes it significantly harder to challenge decisions through appeals.It further warned that jurors can be influenced by media coverage, public pressure, prejudice, intimidation and psychological distress, potentially undermining the fairness of criminal trials.The organisation also questioned whether jurors possess the legal knowledge necessary to understand complex concepts such as complicity in murder.Referring to the Lassana Cisse case, the Foundation argued that the jury had failed to properly consider the significance of two individuals allegedly going out armed with a gun with the intention of targeting Black people.“The jurors ignored what matters, which is that two people went out armed with a gun with the intention to kill black people, and that that made them both complicit in murder,” it stated.The Foundation concluded by urging the government to overhaul Malta’s jury system before further damage is done to public confidence in the courts.“Malta’s choice is stark: immediate and drastic reform to ensure justice is delivered swiftly and effectively, or continue to allow killers to get away with murder.”What do you make of the foundations statement?•