A 35-year-old drug addict was sentenced to six months imprisonment today for illegal possession of a firearm.
Christopher Schembri, a 35-year old self-confessed drug addict, faced multiple charges relating to the circulation of counterfeit currency and the unauthorised possession of a firearm.
The case dated back five years when the accused allegedly chauffeured a friend of his who stopped at several retail outlets, paying for all sorts of goods and services with false money.
Two hotels, 16 shops and two private individuals were targeted in the scam.
When the pair were finally intercepted by the police, the accused had claimed ownership of the firearm discovered inside his car.
Several witnesses had identified the accused as the driver of the car who would wait outside while the other suspect entered the shops with the false banknotes in his pocket.
But, on the basis of all evidence produced, the court concluded that the prosecution had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused had actually acted as an accomplice in the circulation of the counterfeit money.
The fact that he had driven the other accused to the various outlets did not necessarily mean that he knew what the other man was up to, the court observed, noting further that the accused provided chauffeur services.
Magistrate Joseph Mifsud acquitted Mr Schembri of the charges related to the counterfeit currency but found him guilty of the illegal possession of a firearm.
When deciding upon punishment, the court observed that on account of the man’s addiction, imposing a term of community service was not an option.
Whilst urging the accused to undertake a rehabilitation and stick on the road to recovery, the court condemned him to a 6-month jail term which, it said, would benefit both him and society at large.
The court also placed the man under a three-year Treatment Order to ensure that he would receive all necessary help to overcome “the psychological difficulties afflicting him, including his drug addiction, which was leading him astray.”
The court ordered the confiscation of the firearm and banned the accused from possessing a firearms licence for the next three years.
Assistant Police Commissioner Ian Abdilla prosecuted.
Lawyer David Gatt was defence counsel.