Appeals court overturns drugs conviction

A man, who has been jailed for complicity in cultivating cannabis has been cleared after and appeal court found that the testimony of a main witness was inconsistent.

Emmanuel Fenech had originally been jailed for eight months and fined Lm400 (€932) after the Magistrates’ Court found him guilty of his involvement in the cultivation of cannabis, the possession of the plant and trafficking in the drug in May 1997.

Mr Justice David Scicluna, in the Court of Criminal Appeal, noted that testimony by Carl Bonnici, who was a main witness in the case, was riddled with inconsistencies.

Given the different versions and the fact that Mr Fenech always denied the allegations, the appeal court cleared Mr Fenech of all charges.