Court rules evidence inconsistent

A man who has been jailed for complicity in cultivating cannabis 11 years ago has been cleared after an appeal court found that the testimony of a main witness was inconsistent.

In September 2006, Emmanuel Fenech had been jailed for eight months and fined Lm400 (€932) after the Magistrates' Court found him guilty of involvement in the cultivation of cannabis, the possession of the plant and trafficking in the drug in May 1997.

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

Given the different versions given by Mr Bonnici and the fact that Mr Fenech always denied the allegations, the judge cleared Mr Fenech of all charges.