Man imprisoned after giving drugs to correctional facility nurse to pass on to his brother

A 44-year-old man from Pieta today was condemned to 11 months in jail and fined €900 after being found guilty of passing drugs to a nurse who worked at the Corradino Correctional Facility. The drugs were destined for his already jailed brother.

On 2 December, 2009, the drugs squad searched a person named Jacqueline Dipasquale, who worked as a nurse at the Corradino Correctional Facility at the time. The police found heroin, cannabis resin and cannabis, as well as controlled medicine on her person. During their investigation, Ms Dipasquale cooperated, and gave the names of those who provided her with the drugs as well as the inmate they were destined for.

As a result of this information, Mr Zammit was arrested on 3 December, 2009.

Ms Dipasquale opted not to testify in the proceedings, due to proceedings currently pending against her. Regardless, Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras took note of her written statement, as well as that of the accused.

While the defence argued that that Zammit was not given the right to consult a lawyer when giving his first statement, the Magistrate noted that he confirmed his statement when he appeared before the Magistrate.

In the first statement, the accused said that he would buy heroin for his brother and pass it to a nurse, so as to pass it on to his brother. He also said he would pay €50 to the nurse. He said he had done this once a week in the prior months. He also said that the first time his brother called him to make such a request, he was given a number of a third party from whom he could purchase the drugs, and that a nurse would phone him to agree where to meet for the drugs to be passed on. He also claimed that it was the nurse who called him on most occasions to pick up the drugs. His brother would send him the money to pay for the drugs through third parties who he did not know, the accused said. He also claimed that he never took anything in return for what he did.

In his second statement, he said he would pay €60 per gramme for the drugs.

While finding him guilty, the magistrate took note of his cooperation. The magistrate also noted that he has a stable life, a regular job, and that his wife, children as well as his parents are dependent on him. 

from The Malta Independent http://ift.tt/2dF9Kfs
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