Alleged drug kingpin Jordan Azzopardi has landed two fines in as many days over two separate cases, unrelated to the ongoing drug-trafficking compilation that kicked off following his arrest in March.

On Thursday morning, Mr Azzopardi, currently in custody at the Corradino Correctional Facility, was escorted to court amid tight security to face criminal proceedings related to an incident which dated back to February when he had been found in possession of a metal knuckle duster, without the necessary police licence.

The incident had taken place at the Malta International Airport on February 26, days before his arrest over drug-related and circulation of counterfeit money charges.

He had subsequently registered an admission over the knuckleduster incident, during a hearing in June and, upon that admission, judgment was delivered today.

The court, presided over by magistrate Astrid May Grima, after taking note of the accused’s guilty plea, handed down a €1,000 fine. 

Inspector Silvio Magro prosecuted.

Earlier this week, Mr Azzopardi was escorted before another Magistrates’ Court to face charges over an incident dating back to October 2017 when he had allegedly been driving along St George’s Road, St Julian’s when he spotted a man who owed him money.

The incident had occurred one morning in broad daylight.

Mr Azzopardi had got out of his car and had chased the other man who ended up slightly injured in the beating he allegedly suffered at the hands of his creditor.

Criminal charges were issued over the alleged threats and assault, resulting in slight injuries as well as for having been driving without a valid licence and insurance cover.

However, when proceedings continued this week, the alleged victim declared in court that he had no recollection of the incident, insisting that he did not wish to testify.

In the light of this declaration, the prosecution could only press forward those charges which were prosecutable independently of the complaint of the injured party, defence lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia argued.

The court, presided over by magistrate Victor George Axiaq, after hearing arguments by both the accused’s lawyer and lawyer Charles Mercieca from the AG’s Office, declared Mr Azzopardi guilty of driving without a valid licence and insurance cover at the time when the St Julian’s incident took place.

The court handed down a €2,500 fine and a one-year driving ban effective immediately. 

Correction October 11: The court ordered that Mr Azzopardi's driving license be revoked immediately, not after his release from custody.