German pleads guilty to drug charges

German national Peter Paul Pietka was sentenced to five years, six months' imprisonment and fined €15,000 after he admitted to drug trafficking charges, in lieu of facing a trial by jury.

The accused, now 33, was arraigned in court in August 2011 after police had followed a suspected drug courier from Malta International Airport to the hotel where 61 capsules of cocaine were later found.

The German had pleaded guilty to importing and being in possession of the drug, which was not for his personal use. He was remanded in custody awaiting trial.

This morning Judge Michael Mallia held that the accused had pleaded guilty and handed him five and a half years' imprisonment from which he has to deduct the years spent in preventive arrest. He also fined Pietka €15,000.

Lawyers Lucio Schriha and Abigail Bugeja appeared for the accused.