A Somali who spent a year in preventive arrest but was then found not guilty of importing Khat from London this morning filed a second request for compensation in the Constitutional Court after a judicial protest he filed last year was thrown out a few days ago.

Ten kilogrammes of khat had been found in the luggage of Aweys Maani Khayre at the airport in May 2008. He claimed he brought the khat to celebrate his birthday with family and friends and was not aware it was illegal in Malta.

The plant, which has been chewed by east Africans for hundreds of years and plays a big part in the social lives of both men and women, is banned across America, Canada and most of Europe. It is legal in Britain.

The Somali had originally been found guilty and he jailed for six months. However, he was immediately freed as he had already served more than the jail term in preventative arrest.

On appeal, he was found not guilty.

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