Trafficker convicted on strength of client's statement to police

A drug trafficker from Sliema was yesterday jailed for six months thanks to a former client's statement to the police.

Stephen Galea, also known as Il-Bugan, used to sell drugs from his house in Manwel Dimech Street in 1997, former client Jason Mifsud had told the police in an allegation denied by Mr Galea.

In court, however, Mr Mifsud had done everything he could not to tell the truth, Magistrate Lawrence Quintano said.

His testimony under oath was that he would go to buy drugs accompanied by Mr Galea. He would pay for the drugs, which they would then share.

The magistrate said he did not believe the version of events given by Mr Mifsud in court as opposed to the one he had given in his police statement.

Mr Galea was jailed for six months and fined €467, with the court taking his clean criminal record into consideration.

The court also noted that the case had taken far too long to draw to a close because the accused had failed to turn up in court several times.

Police Superintendent Neil Harrison prosecuted.