The drug trial of a Nigerian man accused of importing almost a kilo of heroin entered its final stages yesterday with the defence counsel making the closing arguments.

The accused, 49-year-old Augustine Onuchukwu, a Nigerian holding American citizenship, is pleading not guilty to conspiring to import the drugs on April 20, 2008.

Although no drugs were ever found on him, the heroin in question was brought to Malta by convicted courier Efosa Efionayi, 28, who swallowed the capsules and later implicated the accused as being part of the operation.

Defence lawyer Joe Mifsud told the jurors that, in line with the law, if they had any doubts about the case, they should find the accused not guilty. He noted that the worst thing that could happen to somebody was to be found guilty of a crime one did not commit, adding that their decision as members of the jury would remain with them for the rest of their lives. He insisted his client accepted to testify in the trial because he had nothing to hide.

In his evidence, Mr Onuchukwu said he came to Malta to open a hip hop clothes shop after already owning one in Greece. It was a friend of his, a disk jockey named Aristotle, who had suggested he should visit Malta.

He insisted he did not know Mr Efionayi and that any allegations made against him were pure lies.

The case continues.