Man put 'bag of cannabis' in car

A 41-year-old man who allegedly put eight kilograms of cannabis resin into the boot of well-known deceased criminal Victor Magri, also known as Iċ-Ċinku, claimed that he knew nothing about the haul.

Joseph Mifsud, a car oil importer who is currently standing trial by jury for drug trafficking, said in a police statement that he had never touched or ever known anything about drugs. His statement was read out in court.

However, Police Sergeant Antoine Micallef testified yesterday that he had seen Mr Mifsud drive up to Mr Magri's home in Balzan, get out of the car and place a dark coloured bag inside the boot of Mr Magri's car.

The officer immediately called Police Inspector Nezren Grixti who ordered that Mr Mifsud be stopped and questioned.

This incident happened in November 2004. Mr Magri, 41, was found murdered the following month, on December 3, at Ta' Qali. He had been shot several times with a pistol.

Taking the witness stand, Inspector Grixti said he opened the car boot and inside the bag found 33 blocks of cannabis weighing eight kilograms and valued at almost €50,000.

"When we approached him he was surprised and asked us what happened, what happened?" the inspector recalled.

In the short police statement, Mr Mifsud said he had known Mr Magri for around nine years and categorically denied having put the drugs into the boot of the car. He also denied having anything to do with the drug trade.

In a search conducted in Mr Mifsud's home the police found small electronic weighing scales in a wall unit of his living room with traces of heroin on it, the inspector said.

However, all Mr Muscat could say in his statement was that it was one of his kitchen utensils and he had no idea how it had ended up in the wall unit.

The inspector confirmed that nothing was found in a search carried out on the home of Mr Magri and that he was never charged with anything relating to this case. However, he had been arraigned a few months before this incident on similar charges. The case continues.

Lawyer Lawyer Aaron Bugeja from the Attorney General's Office prosecuted.

Lawyers Joseph Giglio and Robert Abela appeared for the accused.