2007 drug smuggling trial nears end as judge delivers final address to jurors

Presiding judge Natasha Galea Sciberras has begun to give her final address to the jurors during the jury trial against Gordian Azuogu Ohaegbu. The 51-year-old Nigerian stands accused of three counts, conspiring to traffic cocaine, supplying or distributing the drug and being in aggravated possession of it. He pleaded not guilty. After the prosecution and the defence concluded their arguments, Judge Natasha Galea Sciberras addressed the jurors before they retire to deliberate and deliver their verdict. The charges stem from a Police Drug Squad investigation carried out between late 2006 and early 2007. Police investigations began in February of that year after authorities received information about a suspected drug deal in St Julian’s. Officers from the Drug Squad went to the location and stopped two individuals. Although no drugs were found on them, they were in possession of a key to an apartment in Mensija Street, where a subsequent search uncovered 97 capsules containing approximately 955.8g of cocaine. Investigations later indicated that the drugs had been supplied to them by the accused. On Tuesday afternoon, the court heard testimony from one of the two individuals arrested, where he recalled faciliting the deal by connecting the accused to a buyer while handling the exchange himself. The witness confirmed that the drugs were delivered in capsule form and that a total of 97 capsules were eventually handed over by the accused, “a black man”. He said he paid the accused around Lm21,000 for the drugs. Later, on 15 March 2007, the police arrested a third Nigerian individual who had arrived in Malta from London and who was found in possession of 68 capsules containing 788.58 grams of cocaine. Allegedly, these were intended to be passed on to the accused. The prosecution is being led by Lawyers Kevin Valletta and Dejan Darmanin from the Office of the Attorney General, together with Inspector Alfredo Mangion. Appearing for the accused are Lawyers Edward Gatt and Veronique Dalli.