Freed man demands compensation for time spent in preventive custody

A foreigner has filed a court case against the Attorney General and the Police Commissioner demanding compensation after he was remanded in preventive custody for almost a year before being acquitted later of drug charges.

Aweys Maani Khayre, 31, who was born in Somalia but lives in England, was accused of importing 10 kilograms of khat in May 2008.

Last April, after spending the intervening period in custody, he was found guilty as charged.

He had earlier started constitutional proceedings on the grounds that khat was not prohibited by law but the court had said the case was premature.

He then filed an appeal and was acquitted of the charge in July of last year.

He has now filed a case in the civil court for compensation for the time he spent in preventive custody.

Mr Khayre said he suffered substantial damages after having been needlessly held in detention for 11 months and claimed that his rights had been violated.

He is, therefore, asking the court to order the Attorney General and Police Commissioner to pay him damages.

José Herrera and Veronique Dalli are his legal counsel.