Lawyer blames client’s partner for heroin possession charge

A defence lawyer insisted yesterday that her client was accused of heroin possession on the basis of what his partner told the police following an argument a few days earlier.

Joseph Camilleri, 44, from Għargħur, a former drug addict, was allegedly caught in possession of heroin sachets on Wednesday. The police say the sachets were ready to be sold.

Lawyer Giannella Caruana Curran said the drugs were found in the bedroom he shared with his partner of 16 years who was a drug addict and was on bail pending other cases. Just three days before the police raided the house in Għargħur, the couple had an argument and she decided to pin the blame on him when officers searched the pace and wanted to know to whom did the drugs belong to, the lawyer added.

The woman, Dr Caruana Curran informed the court, was also involved in another serious case that involved well-known criminals such as Charles Muscat, Il-Pips, and Alfred Bugeja, Il-Porporina. Everything pointed towards the woman’s intention to harm her partner, the motivation being the argument they had just days before, the lawyer said.

Dr Caruana Curran noted that her client had a clean police record, three children to look after and would risk losing his job if denied bail when his partner was on bail pending such serious cases.

Police Inspector Johann Fenech told Magistrate Miriam Hayman the partner of the accused was the main witness and granting him bail would be putting her testimony at risk.

Mr Camilleri was remanded in custody.