Cleared of drug trafficking conspiracy
After two-and-a-half hours of deliberation, the jurors in the trial of Mohammed Abdulla Gilani Gharsalla decided, by seven votes to two, he was not guilty of the first two counts of the bill of indictment, namely conspiracy to trafficking drugs and...
After two-and-a-half hours of deliberation, the jurors in the trial of Mohammed Abdulla Gilani Gharsalla decided, by seven votes to two, he was not guilty of the first two counts of the bill of indictment, namely conspiracy to trafficking drugs and complicity in the importation of 1.5 kg of cannabis resin from Morocco in September 2000.
The prosecution had earlier in the day withdrawn the third charge in the bill of indictment relating to exchange control infringements.
Mr Justice Joe Galea Debono acquitted the accused and ordered that he be set free. He also ordered the Commissioner of Police to commence proceedings before the Magistrates' Court against the key prosecution witness, Mohamed Abusetta, for calumnious accusation and taking of a false oath in a court case as a result of his testimony in the court on Wednesday and Thursday when he retracted all the allegations he had made against the accused three-and-a-half years ago when the case was being investigated.
Dr Mark Said prosecuted.
Dr Ray Farrugia was defence counsel.