Drugs trial enters final phase

The trial by jury of Clayton Galea, 25, of Ħamrun, who is charged with conspiring to deal in cannabis and possession of the drug, entered its final phase yesterday with the closing arguments by the defence and the prosecution.

Another man involved in the same case, Nazzareno Muscat, filed a guilty plea at the beginning of the trial, and consequently the cases were separated. Mr Muscat's case will be decided today.

During the first day of the trial, jurors heard how two police officers who were on their way to investigate a case involving a stolen van stopped to talk to two men who were acting suspiciously - Mr Muscat and Mr Galea - and noted Mr Muscat throwing a plastic bag containing cannabis into a field. A search on Mr Galea yielded €2,329 (Lm1,000) in cash but no drugs.

The prosecution and the defence made their final submissions during yesterday's sitting.

Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono is expected to start and conclude the summing up today, when the jurors will retire to deliberate on the verdict.

Lawyer Aaron Bugeja from the Attorney General Office's is prosecuting while lawyers Giannella Caruana Curran and Emmanuel Mallia appeared for Mr Galea. Mr Muscat is being represented by lawyer José Herrera.