A trial by jury was told this morning that a woman who stands accused of selling drugs within the prisons had practically a free rein, with wardens and inmates 'afraid' of her. She had access to an empty cell where she had four television sets and a sound surround system, among other items.
A former inmate also testified how she was treated as a 'slave' by the accused, and that it was easier to get drugs from inside the prison than outside, because of the 'door to door' service.
41-year-old Josette Bickle of Valletta, is pleading not guilty to having trafficked heroin in prison while she was serving time there between 2006 and 2008.
During the opening of the trial this morning, Police Inspector Jesmond Borg, prosecuting, said the accused was paid in various ways for the drugs, such as clothes, food, as well as cash and other goods.
He said that an inquiry had been held about drugs in prison and the findings were given to the police, for further investigation.
The police had looked at the bank accounts of suspected persons and spoke to a Maria Concetta Borg, one of the then inmates. She was initially afraid of speaking to the police, saying she was scared of the accused. She then said that she would buy heroin from the accused. The drugs inside the prison cost three times as much as in the street.
Borg told the police that the prison inmates used to do work in prison for Playmobil. The accused used to assign them the work, but then kept their pay for herself, as her payment for the drugs.
The police also spoke to Pauline Pisani, who was also there at the time. She would wash clothes for the accused, clean her cell, do her hair and generally felt like a slave to her. Bickle had power in the prison and even the wardens were afraid of her.
Pisani had told the police that in the mornings she would share drugs with the accused.
Doreen Bugeja, another inmate, said she would buy drugs from the accused every day. Payment went through playmobil figures, telecards etc. She said that a packet of drugs normally worth €23 would cost €100 from the accused.
The wardens were very afraid of her and would allow her to do what she wanted.
Elaine Muscat, another former inmate, gave a similar account of what she went through, the inspector said. She said that she was a slave to the accused. She would shower with her, do her hair, wash her cell and do whatever was needed. She was the closest to her. She said that once the accused even tried to assault the director of prisons, because she was capable of anything.
The accused had four lockers and even an empty cell containing, four televisions, DVD's, surround sound system, and other items given to her by the other inmates. She managed to acquire these things because people would pay her with the items for drugs.
The inspector said he did not himself verify these reports as his remit was about drug trafficking.
In a police statement, the accused refused to answer any questions, the inspector said.
'I was her slave'
Taking the witness stand, former inmate Pauline Pisani said she spent a lot of time in Bickle's cell. When they woke up, she would make her coffee and start work. She was made to shave her private parts and clean her cell. If she missed cleaning any part of the cell, Bickle threatened to burn her, and she did so once, using a light bulb.
"I was her slave" the witness said.
She added that Bickle would 'fix' the tally of the number of hours she had purportedly worked so that her account would accumulate. She would then give drugs to other inmates and take their money.
She said she was once charged Lm550 for five grams of heroin that Bickle brought into prison.
"It was easier to get drugs in prison than from outside because of the door-to-door service", Pisani said, adding, however that she was not able to herself take drugs in because she was scared.
She said that the accused would call Sandro Gatt (the prison director of the time) and straight away she would get what she wanted, like extended visits, when someone like me would get nothing, Pisani added.