'Ferocious' dog guarding chicken coop drug stash was friendly, police tell court

Police officers searching a Siggiewi chicken farm for drugs have found a kilo of heroin and cannabis in a kennel they had been warned not to go into because of a “ferocious” dog which turned out to be friendly.

This emerged as the compilation of evidence against Horace Fenech continued before magistrate Doreen Clarke. Fenech, 42, from Siġġiewi, had been arraigned last August and charged with possession of heroin in circumstances which denoted it was not for his personal use. He was also charged with possession of cannabis and cannabis resin, and with recidivism.

A number of police officers took the witness stand, explaining how the discovery took place. The police had been following the movements of a certain Terence Cini on suspicion of drug trafficking and had followed him as he drove to Fenech’s farmhouse. Cini was driving and Fenech was passenger, the court was told. 

The men were arrested and the farm was searched. Fenech insisted that the police be careful around the dog as it was dangerous, but officers found the dog to be very friendly as they searched its kennel and found the drugs inside a protein shake bottle. The large kennel was bolted shut, but had no locks or padlocks securing it.

Fenech’s lawyer, Franco Debono, submitted that if the dog was so friendly, anyone could have gone inside it. The witnesses replied that this was a possibility. 

Fenech was granted bail at the end of the sitting, after spending a month in preventive custody. He was released against a €5,000 deposit and a €10,000 personal guarantee. He was ordered to observe a curfew and sign a bail book three times a week.

Inspectors Frank Anthony Tabone and Joseph Xerri prosecuted. Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia were defence counsel.