Libyan embassy denies offering to post bail of man in drug trafficking case

The Libyan embassy has denied any connection with a Libyan national apprehended by prison authorities whilst allegedly attempting to smuggle drugs into prison.

During his arraignment, the suspect told the Court that he was a Libyan diplomat, or representing the Libyan embassy and that the embassy was amenable to subsidizing the payment of his bail in the event that the Court were to grant him bail.

But in a statement, the embassy denied it had offered to subsidise this payment and it never authorised anyone to make such a statement on its behalf.

"Indeed, the Embassy of Libya was dumbfounded when it became aware of the occurrence of this serious incident through the media," a spokesperson for the embassy said.

The embassy itself has carried a thorough investigation of the identity of the suspect and transpired that he did not hold any diplomatic status and held no connection with the embassy. Consequently, he was not entitled to make any statement on behalf of the embassy.

According to media reports, the alleged drug trafficker was residing in a prominent hotel in St Julian's and that his board and lodging were subsidised by the same embassy - something which the embassy described as "unfounded".

"Indeed, such subsidised board and lodging in a particular hotel in being provided by the Libyan government via the embassy to the accused and to many other Libyan nationals who were seriously injured during the Libyan uprising in 2011," the spokesman said.

He explained that the Libyan nationals were residing in Malta temporarily in order to receive medical treatment in Malta - in some cases outpatients - in accordance with an agreement obtained between the Maltese and Libyan governments.

The embassy also reserved the right to institute appropriate legal proceedings as against the person who in an exceedingly abusive manner purported to represent the Embassy of Libya during the said arraignment without any authorization whatsoever.