Reformed drug user freed acquitted of trafficking charge

Christopher Spiteri, 36 of Naxxar was acquitted of heroin trafficking by Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras.

Spiteri was accused of having trafficked heroin on 20 May, 2001 when he was found in possession of the drug, in circumstances showing it was not only for his personal use.

But the court said that the only witness, Andrew Bezzina, who claimed that the drugs were for Spiteri, was not credible.

Bezzina had been apprehended carrying the drugs in a roadblock set up by the Armed Forces of Malta, when a search found two small sachets of heroin.

Bezzina also told police that the drugs were procured for Christopher Spiteri, who lived with him because he was homeless. Bezzina said he would handle Spiteri’s drugs so that he could get a small cut of the substance. This led to the arrest of Spiteri, who denied using drugs.

Assistant Commissioner Norbert Ciappara had presented as evidence a mobile phone, inside a container, that was packed with heroin, while witness AFM gunner Michael Catania said a syringe with brown liquid was also found in the car during the search.

An important witness was Brian Camilleri, a social worked who had been in contact with Spiteri for years since having passed through the national drug agency Sedqa in 1995, having undergone three rehabilitation programmes.

Camilleri said that in 2012, Spiteir had started living independently, found a job, graduated from his rehab programme, assisting people with drug problems, and was still working since then. He had also been tested for drug used, but none of some 70 urine samples on record had tested positive.

In her judgement, Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras said that the only proof the prosecution had was Bezzina, who was not deemed a credible witness.

Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Kris Busietta appeared for Spiteri.