Charged with cocaine trafficking

A drug bust in a Qawra flat has led to the arraignment of a second Nigerian refugee.

The man, 33-year-old Victor Anokwu, was being investigated after a compatriot, 26-year-old Mike Diala, was stopped by the police on a Qawra street on Saturday and allegedly found to be carrying three capsules of cocaine. According to the police, Mr Diala was in possession of a set of keys that matched the lock of Mr Anokwu's apartment in Qawra where nearly one kilogram of the drug in 94 capsules was found.

After Mr Diala's arrest, the police followed Mr Anokwu and arrested him a day later after gathering enough evidence to arraign him. During yesterday's arraignment, Mr Anokwu, accompanied by his German girlfriend, pleaded not guilty to conspiring to import and to importing and trafficking the drugs.

After taking into consideration the large amount of cocaine found, Magistrate Doreen Clarke remanded the accused in custody and ordered that the two men be kept apart during their stay in prison.