A man who stands accused of involvement in a 10kg cannabis deal told a trial by jury this morning that his presence in a car where the police found the drug in 2006 was coincidental and he had nothing to do with the crime.

Charles Camilleri is facing the jurors alone about husband and wife Joseph and Censina Zerafa filed a guilty plea at the opening of proceedings yesterday.

Taking the witness stand, Mr Camilleri said that he got to know Mr Zerafa about four years before the incident, when he did carpentry work at his home.

On the day in question they went to Mr Zerafa's garage because Mr Zerafa said his car had a leaking pipe which he wanted to fix. In the garage he got into Mr Zerafa's Suzuki and he noticed a bag at his feet.

At that time the police turned up and Mr Zerafa reversed at speed, hitting a van and scraping the Suzuki against a wall, damaging the passenger door.

Mr Camilleri said he asked him to stop but he refused, and told him that he had 20 blocks of cannabis in the bag.

As they drove off, Mr Zerafa told him to jump out with the bag but he refused. Zerafa then tried to grab the bag, it tore and several blocks of cannabis fell.

Mr Camilleri said that Mr Zerafa told him that another man, Martin Pavia, should have been next to him.

The police caught up with them at Marsascala and they were arrested.

Mr Camilleri denied having told the police that he was paid Lm100 to keep the drugs between 4-6 pm..

The trial continues.