A Somali man yesterday pleaded guilty to trafficking cannabis only to appeal the jail sentence he was then given.

Hassan Mohamed Abu­bakar, 37, who lives in Marsa, was caught with 10 sachets of cannabis in Paceville on Saturday night as he was selling them to customers.

Ignoring the advice of his lawyer, Anthony Cutajar, he insisted on pleading guilty to trafficking. Since Mr Abubakar is a relapser, Magistrate Carol Peralta sentenced him to one year in prison.

Seconds later, however, he wanted to appeal and asked for the jail term to be suspended pending the outcome.

The magistrate told him that these manoeuvres made him “very suspicious” so he ordered him to sign the bail book at the Ħamrun police station three times a day.

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