Yorgen Fenech is probably focused on fighting charges against him and spending time with his family, his lawyer said hours after a court ordered that he be granted bail.   

“If I were in his (Fenech’s) shoes, I would be focused on fighting the case he has against him and spending time with his family,” Charles Mercieca said as he exited the Corradino prison and walked to his car on Friday afternoon.   

Mercieca was speaking after a court granted bail to Fenech on Friday morning.

The decision means Fenech, who is accused of murdering journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, will soon be leaving prison after spending five years in preventive custody.  

However, the complex bail conditions given by Madam Justice Edwina Grima mean that Fenech still has a few more days behind bars before he is allowed out. 

Before that happens, the court must receive evidence that his aunt Moira Fenech has provisionally transferred her share of the family business to the government, as a guarantee.  The share transfer must be effected and formally registered, with Fenech's lawyers then presenting evidence of that in court.  

When asked if he knew when that would happen, Mercieca said the process is ongoing but did not indicate how long it will take. 

“It will take a period of time,” he said. 

Mercieca did not say if Fenech’s legal team believes that will be a matter of hours, days, or weeks.  

 What are Yorgen Fenech’s bail conditions? 

Fenech's aunt Moira Fenech is to serve as his guarantor, with her Tumas company shares - she holds 15.45% of the company - as collateral.  

He will only be released from prison once the court receives written confirmation that those shares have been provisionally transferred to the government.  

Once that is confirmed, Fenech must pay an €80,000 deposit and be bound by a €120,000 personal guarantee.  

Should he breach bail conditions, Moira Fenech will lose her share of the family business and Fenech will lose his deposit and guarantee money. 

The court ordered Fenech not to go within 50 metres of the coast or airport, though that restriction will not apply when he visits the St Julian's police station every day to sign a bail book. He will also be required to stay indoors between 5pm and 11am.   

Fenech will be assigned a probation officer to supervise him and must only live at the address provided to the court. The judge did not read out that address, for security reasons.  A police officer will be stationed outside his nominated residence for 24 hours a day.