The prosecution in a drug trial yesterday pointed to the accused as being the second person being brought to justice over the importation of a kilo of heroin into Malta.

Lawyer Aaron Bugeja, from the Attorney General’s Office, claimed that Augustine Onuchukwu, 46, also known as Fat Boy, had conspired with Efosa Efionayi, 26, to import the drug on April 20, 2008.

He said the conspiracy involved another two men named only as Ali and his brother Sam, who remain at large.

Mr Efionayi had actually admitted to being the drug mule, importing 76 capsules containing the drug inside his stomach after swallowing the capsules with soup. Mr Efionayi met Sam in Amsterdam where he was given the drugs. He then travelled to Brussels by train and took a flight to Malta accompanied by Sam and Fat Boy. He had been told by Ali that he would be paid €3,000 for every trip he made, Dr Bugeja said.

After admitting to importing the drugs, Mr Efionayi was jailed for 11 years and fined €30,000, last year.

Highlighting a crucial piece of evidence, the lawyer said that when mobile phones belonging to the accused and to Mr Efionayi were analysed and crossed checked, it resulted that there was a common contact on both phones and this was Ali. The accused communicated more frequently with Ali than with Mr Efionayi, Dr Bugeja said.

In his statement, Mr Efionayi had told the police that he was instructed by Ali to look for Fat Boy for further instructions once in Malta, he added.

Taking the witness stand, Police Superintendent Norbert Ciappara said that at the time he was an inspector and had received confidential information that people were going to arrive carrying drugs from Brussels.

He stopped Mr Efionayi – who seemed agitated – at the airport. When he took him in to be questioned Mr Efionayi started sweating and was extremely nervous.

Once he asked him to get an X-ray to prove that he was not carrying drugs in his stomach, Mr Efionayi confessed, the officer said.

The case continues.

Lawyer Joe Mifsud (former Malta Football Association president) represented the accused.