A man arrested in August after being spotted disposing of a drug-filled cigarette packet inside a planter in a Paceville parking area has been has been jailed 14 months.

Abdirashid Ibrahim Ahmed had been arrested on the eve of a public holiday in St George’s Road, St Julian’s after his movements had aroused the suspicion of a plainclothes policeman patrolling the area on night duty. The suspect had been accompanied by another person.

The officer, testifying in the course of proceedings against the accused, explained how towards 6.30pm on August 14, he had spotted two men close to the Axis Complex.

One of them, wearing a black, yellow-striped t-shirt, was seen throwing away a small object into a tree planter. Upon closer inspection, this turned out to be a red Rothmans packet containing some greenish-brown sticks, which turned out to be cannabis.

Calling other colleagues for assistance, the officer’s quick reaction ultimately led to the arrest of the two suspects who attempted to get away upon sensing police presence.

The man who had thrown away the packet was charged with possession of cannabis resin in circumstances indicating that it was not for personal use, further aggravated by the fact that this had taken place within 100 metres of a place where young people habitually met.

Basing itself primarily on the testimony of the plainclothes officer who “could see clearly the accused and his actions” the court declared that his testimony was “consistent and clear”.

Moreover, the description of the suspect as provided by the officer who had witnessed his movements, tallied with that given by other witnesses and recorded in the incident report.

There was also “no doubt as to the contents of the packet of cigarettes,” magistrate Josette Demicoli observed when delivering judgment. These were namely 21.52 grams of cannabis resin, consisting of 21 sticks, which clearly showed that the drug had not been intended for the accused’s personal use.

As for the aggravating circumstance, the court observed that it clearly resulted that “these offences were committed in Paceville, which is certainly a place where young people normally meet”.

Concluding that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, the court declared the accused guilty, jailed him for 14 months and fined him €700.

Senior Inspector Trevor Micallef prosecuted.