A homeless man who told a court he often seeks shelter at a Park and Ride was denied bail today after being arraigned on charges of drug trafficking following a scuffle with police.

Plasterer Abubakar Ibrahim Jabril, 32, was charged with aggravated drug possession on two separate instances in October last year and again earlier this month. He was also charged with having violently resisted arrest, with having slightly injured one of the police officers as well as with having been in possession of a knife. Moreover, besides being a relapser, the accused was also under a suspended sentence.

The court, presided by magistrate Doreen Clarke, heard how the man had been found in possession of some 45 grams of cannabis resin in circumstances which clearly indicated that it was not for his own use.

When asked by the court whether he admitted to the charges, the accused replied "Some are true, but some are not true."

The defence explained that his client, though admitting to having reacted violently to police orders, had allegedly himself been a victim of some rough handling by the police.

Since the accused was not admitting all the charges, the court declared that it was registering a not guilty plea.

The prosecution objected to the request for bail primarily on account of the fact that the accused had no fixed address Moreover, the man was still under the operative period of a suspended sentence and a conditional discharge for previous convictions.

The court, in view of the nature of the offences and the fact that the accused had no fixed residence, denied bail.

Inspector Frank Anthony Tabone prosecuted. Lawyer Martin Fenech was legal aid.