Jury clears man of cocaine trafficking nine years after charges were made

A jury has found last night Chukwudi Samuel Onyeabor, a 39-year-old Nigerian-born Dutch resident, not guilty of trafficking drugs in 2008 by seven votes to two.

Onyeabor had been detained by the police nine years ago, following a controlled delivery by the police. Investigations, which had begun after two drug couriers were arrested at Malta International Airport that same year, led police to Onyeabor and another man, Ferdinand Onovo. The two carriers were caught with almost six kilogrammes of cocaine of 53% purity, valued at between €403,305 and €593,434 at the time.

Last month, Onovo was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of €25,000 after being found guilty of his involvement in the drug conspiracy.

Onyeabor took to the streets of Valletta last month to protest against the "injustice and bullying" he had suffered at the hands of the justice system, claiming that he had been unable to go see his son in Holland for nearly a decade due to his bail conditions.

Former Assistant Police Commissioner Norbert Ciappara, at the time a police inspector, had charged Onyeabor with conspiracy to sell cocaine in 2008. Denying the charges, Onyeabor claimed to having been in Malta to negotiate the sale of property and that his arrest was illegal.

Mr Justice Antonio Mizzi presided the trial.

Lawyers Marc Sant and Simon Micallef Stafrace defended Onyeabor, whilst lawyers Nadia Attard and Kevin Valletta from the Office of the Attorney General prosecuted.