A man who for the past five years faced proceedings over his alleged involvement in a 4.6kg cannabis haul back in 2010, will be a free man after the Attorney General declared that there were insufficient reasons for the accused to be placed under a bill of indictment.

Carmel Debono, a now 54-year old driver from Fgura, had been arraigned in 2012 alongside Clayton Azzopardi, 34, from Tarxien, in connection with a drug cache made two years previously in Msida.

The 4.6kg cannabis haul had been discovered after surveillance by the Drug Squad inside the residence of a third party, the late Anthony Debattista, of Msida, who used to run a bar in the vicinity of the Junior College.

Footage from the site of the discovery as well as mobile phone exchanges, had put the police on the trail of the two suspects who had been arraigned in 2012 only two years after some 20 blocks of cannabis resin had been found.

Some three fingerprints lifted from a wooden box inside the shed had matched those of Mr Azzopardi who, on the day of the planned drug deal in May 2010, had allegedly visited Mr Debattista. Carmel Debono had also visited the place that day.

Criminal proceedings against the property owner, namely Anthony Debattista, were dropped after the latter passed away in 2011.

Proceedings against the other two co-accused over cannabis trafficking were until recently ongoing before separate courts.

However, during the compilation of evidence against Carmel Debono, the Attorney General declared that there are insufficient grounds for the accused to be placed under a bill of indictment, a legal move termed as ‘nolle prosequi.’ ( do not prosecute)

This declaration effectively means that once the prosecution no longer intends to prosecute, proceedings against Mr Debono will cease.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia were counsel to the accused.