Man accused of selling drugs at Ħamrun's main square

A man who allegedly sold drugs in central Ħamrun to sustain his own heroin addiction was yesterday granted bail.

Police Inspector Johann Fenech said that 44-year-old father of two, Gerald Cauchi had an addiction to heroin and, to sustain it, was selling drugs in the main square of Ħamrun on Wednesday.

The accused pleaded not guilty to charges of trafficking in heroin, being in possession of the drug in circumstances denoting it was not for his exclusive use and committing the crime within 100 metres of a place frequented by minors.

Defence lawyer Josè Herrera argued that his client was not a trafficker, as the prosecution was depicting him, but the victim of a drug habit. He was not the person in the background pushing the drugs but the person on the receiving end.

Mr Cauchi, his lawyer said, had cooperated completely with the police. The prosecuting officer rebutted the arguments and accused the defence counsel of taking the situation too lightly. The accused, he maintained, had sold drugs in a very public place.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli granted Mr Cauchi bail against a personal guarantee of €4,000 and a deposit of €1,000.