Man claims 122 cannabis plants were for own use

A Zejtun man told police who turned up on his doorstep bearing a search warrant that he had been growing cannabis for five years and intended the 122 plants at his house for his own personal use, a court heard yesterday.

John Bartolo, 35, was arrested and questioned but he insisted the cannabis seized by the police was for his own use.

Meanwhile the police also arrested Anthony Camilleri, 34, of Marsascala who let himself in with a key while police were searching the premises.

Inspector Neil Harrison told Magistrate Carol Peralta that Camilleri had told him Bartolo had given him the key to the Zejtun house only the day before.

They had arranged to meet the next day (that is on January 14, the day the police carried out the raid) and Bartolo had given him the key so that he could let himself in and wake him up if he overslept.

But Bartolo told police he had given Camilleri the key a while back and that he did not have to meet anyone that morning.

The police, who had placed the block under observation, had also noted that Bartolo had not slept on the premises they had searched, but at his aunt's house a block away.

Inspector Harrison testified in the compilation of evidence against the two men who are pleading not guilty to the possession and cultivation of cannabis.

Bartolo was also charged with trafficking in cannabis over the last five years, stealing electricity and keeping a firearm and ammunition without a licence at his house in Zejtun.

Camilleri was also charged with relapsing.

Inspector Harrison yesterday gave the details of the dawn raid on January 14. A policeman detailed to watch Bartolo's aunt's house saw him leaving at about 5.30 a.m. and alerted the other policemen.

They saw Bartolo going inside the house they were keeping under watch and come out some time later. They stopped him and told him they had a search warrant.

Bartolo cooperated and let them in the house but told them he only had a couple of cannabis plants for his personal use.

Inside the police found a great number of plants, the largest of which was about nine feet tall. There were plants outside in the yard and some inside a room being grown in artificial light.

They also noted that the electricity meter had been tampered with and cannabis seed was found strewn in different places.

They also found weighing scales and a firearm and 10 bullets among other objects.

The inspector explained how Camilleri walked in on the search and how he was detained and tried to escape but was apprehended about a block or so away.

Bartolo told police he had some more cannabis seed at his aunt's house but when they went there the police did not find it where Bartolo had said it was.

They then searched a certain Emanuel Fauzza who was at Bartolo's aunt's house and found some cannabis seed on his person.

Inspector Harrison said he later learnt that Fauzza was seeing Bartolo's sister and when the sister had told him that her brother had been arrested they planned to go to the house and hide the cannabis seeds.

But the police walked in while they were at the house.

The case continues.

Police Inspector Neil Harrison prosecuted.

Dr Michael Sciriha and Dr Ian Farrugia are appearing for Bartolo while Dr Franco Debono is counsel to Camilleri.