A court in Malta has this Monday denied bail to a Gambian arrested with 11 packets of drugs in Marsa. 28-year-old Sedat Bojang was charged with possession of cannabis in the circumstances denoting it was not intended for his personal use.
Sedat Bojang was also accused of committing these offenses within 100 meters of a place where youths gather – an aggravating factor to the charges.
A Malta police Inspector Justine Grech, prosecuting with inspector Stacy Gatt, told magistrate Josette Demicoli that a Rapid Intervention Unit patrol had stopped the accused in Marsa and found Sedat Bojang in possession of suspected cannabis grass and synthetic cannabis.
Eleven packets of the substances were seized in all, together with €30. A subsequent search of his residence recovered plastic sachets used in the distribution of drugs said the inspector.
Bojang was also found to be overstaying his visa in Malta.
Bojang’s lawyer, Mario Caruana, appearing as legal aid for the man, entered a plea of not guilty for the man and requested bail.
The accused had a permanent residence in Malta, and there were no witnesses for him to approach. “He wants to clear his name,” said the lawyer. “He told the police that he had purchased the drugs for his own use, and he will be defending himself on that basis,” Caruana added.
Inspector Grech argued that the man did not have a permanent residence but shared accommodation with four other men and had no money. “He has no job and doesn’t always pay rent…I don’t know if he can abide by the court’s conditions, given that he didn’t even abide by the immigration authorities’ rules,” said the inspector.
After hearing arguments by both sides, the court refused Bojang bail, saying he had not proven that he had a fixed address and also because of fear of absconding.
