A man has landed back behind bars, six months after having been granted bail, after being allegedly found in possession of drugs last Saturday evening.

Dawda Ceesay, a 21-year old Gambian national living in Malta, was arrested in St Julian’s after police found him in possession of cocaine and cannabis which did not appear to be exclusively for his own use.

Ceesay was also charged with having committed the alleged offence within 100 metres of a place frequented by youths, as well as having breached a bail decree handed down in July, thereby risking the forfeiture of a €500 deposit and a €5,000 personal guarantee.

The man, who had faced drug-trafficking charges in October 2019, pleaded not guilty.

A request for bail was strongly objected to by the prosecution, even in view of the fact that the accused had allegedly breached a previous court order.

The accused, who is unemployed, said that he lived in Malta together with his brother who has a job here.

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech turned down the request for bail and remanded the accused in custody.

Inspector Matthew Grech prosecuted.

Lawyer Dunstan Camilleri was defence counsel