In tears, fisherman denies drug trafficking claims

A 58-year-old fisherman accused of drug trafficking yesterday vehemently denied his involvement bursting into tears as he testified in his trial by jury.

Andrea Zammit, of Rabat, rejected the claims made by the star witness who, on Tuesday, said he had been given 14 kilogrammes of cannabis by Mr Zammit on December 22, 2005.

The witness, Egyptian national, Ekramy Abdel Aziz Mobarak, 33, is the only link implicating Mr Zammit in the drug haul, other than a small piece of plastic found near Mr Zammit's farm in Rabat, which matched the material in which the drugs were wrapped.

Mr Zammit, also known as Nizza, is pleading not guilty to conspiring to import drugs, trafficking and being in possession of the drug in circumstances denoting it was not for his exclusive use.

Mr Mobarak had been arrested at Saqqajja Hill, Rabat in the early hours of December 22, 2005 after being found in possession of 59 blocks of cannabis in his car.

He was being shadowed by the police who had been alerted about a drug delivery by Mr Mobarak on the night. At the time the accused was not a suspect.

On being arrested, Mr Mobarak told the police he had just picked up the drugs from Mr Zammit and led them to his farm in Tal-Virtú, Rabat. He repeated that claim under oath and added that the fisherman expected €582 per kilogramme in return.

Mr Mobarak also mentioned the names of the people he intended selling the drugs. The court banned publication of the names.

On the witness stand, Mr Zammit categorically denied knowing Mr Mobarak or having met him before. He said he had spent the past 18 years working as a fisherman and the previous 22 years as a fish monger.

He burst in tears and shouted: "(Mobarak) is the biggest liar that ever lived". He raised his voice to the point of shouting hysterically and told Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono presiding over the trial that "this is not right" and asked where Mr Mobarak had got his lies from.

Mr Justice Galea Debono instructed the accused to calm down and get his act together before he could continue testifying.

Earlier, as he was explaining his line of work, Mr Zammit said that he and his son fished all over the Mediterranean and sometimes even went to Libya, where, Mr Mobarak, said on Monday, the drugs came from.

Under cross examination, lawyer Jason Grima, from the Attorney General's office, asked Mr Zammit how could Mr Mobarak know so much about him, including the exact whereabouts of his farm, if, as the accused insisted, the two never met. Mr Zammit replied this could have been a vindictive attempt by "someone" to harm him.

Mr Zammit said that on the night in question he was stopped by the police at the farm. He explained his presence at the farm late at night, saying that it was normal for him to work so late. Sometimes he even slept there, the accused said.

The case has now entered its final stages and the final arguments are being made to the jurors. They are expected to retire to deliberate tomorrow.

The case continues.