Somali files judicial protest for compensation
A Somali who spent a year in preventive arrest but was then found not guilty of importing Khat from London has filed a judicial protest for compensation.
Ten kilogrammes of khat were found in the luggage of Aweys Maani Khayre at the airport in May last year. He claimed he brought the khat to celebrate his birthday with family and friends and was not aware it was illegal in Malta.
The plant has been chewed by east Africans for hundreds of years and plays a big part in the social lives of both men and women. But it is banned across America, Canada and most of Europe. It is legal in Britain.
Defence lawyers José Herrera and Veronique Dalli had argued that since their client had imported the plant and not the active extract cathinone and cathine, he was not committing a crime.
Magistrate Miriam Hayman found him guilty and jailed him for six months. However, he was immediately freed as he had already served more than the jail term in preventative arrest.
On appeal, he was found not guilty.
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I Abela
Nov 6th 2009, 20:17
What a big FARCE "had argued that since their client had imported the plant and not the active extract " "he was not committing a crime" Does this mean i can start up a big plantation of marjuana ? It's only a plant no ?
Michael Williams
Nov 6th 2009, 19:53
You accept multiculturalism then you accept khat, it is part of their culture like female circumcision. Do the multiculturalists know about things that happen in other cultures before going overboard with the concept?
joseph cachia
Nov 6th 2009, 17:20
WHAT A FARCE . A somali file for compensation. His lawyers should be ashamed that for a FEE they help someone who imported a drug to sell and distribute in MALTA. Whether legal or not , in PLANT or extracted , his intention was to perform the extraction in MALTA and sell to all. The birthday excuse, does he know on what day and month he was BORN ?
Elisa Borg
Nov 6th 2009, 17:05
This is just like the steve marsden case. Mr Khayre is 'lucky' that he only spent an extra 6 months in prison - Marsden spent 6 months times 6! It's not right to lock people up for nothing - life is short. Yes, they deserve compensation.
Malcolm Farrugia
Nov 6th 2009, 16:22
He was found guilty, but was released because he served 1 year in preventive custody. He said that the reason behind his stash of khat was to celebrate his birthday with family and friends, who is he trying to fool? Ten kilos of khat would supply the whole african clandestine community for sometime. He is lucky that was released instead of facing a harsher jail sentence. The state should make sure that africans will keep the khat custom in their country of origin.
steve elliott,uk
Nov 6th 2009, 15:10
IGNORANCE OF THE LAW IS NO DEFENCE