Fresh charges issued against alleged drug kingpin

Prosecutors have brought fresh charges against alleged drug kingpin Jordan Azzopardi, but witnesses who have already testified will not need to be reheard, a court decided yesterday.

Seven months after the start of the compilation of evidence in which the court has heard an endless list of witnesses, the prosecution announced yesterday that it was issuing fresh charges against Azzopardi.

The new charges relate to money laundering as well as promoting an organization with a view to committing criminal offences.

Azzopardi, 29, was escorted to court yesterday under high security, alongside his 31-year-old girlfriend and mother-of-five, whose name has been banned from publication by the courts to protect her children.

Azzopardi was arrested in March and charged with multiple offences, including drug trafficking and aggravated possession of cocaine, heroin and cannabis, criminal conspiracy, circulation of counterfeit money, fraud, weapons charges and threatening and injuring a man. He is also accused of breaching his bail conditions.

Lawyer Franco Debono said he had not been informed of this, before challenging the unusual practise and highlighting that the accused had not been notified of the additional charges.

Nor were the fresh charges signed by the attorney general signature. Section 435 of the Criminal Code states that when the attorney general becomes aware of “some other offence not included in the inquiry,” he is to send back the records to the court and make his demand “in writing,” said the lawyer, pointing out that only the signatures of the three prosecuting police inspectors were present.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke had been asked to authorise the addition of the charges by a correction to the charge sheet. But

Debono said that once fresh charges are issued, the proceedings “technically went back to the arraignment stage,” he said. This involved the accused being asked to confirm his personal details and his plea once again.

After retiring to chambers to consider the issue, the magistrate resumed the sitting with a decision in which the court declared that since procedure under Section 435 had not been followed, the prosecuting officers were to confirm the amended charges under oath.

Azzopardi, who had denied the initial charges, pleaded not guilty to the new charges.

The compilation of evidence was put off till December.

Inspectors Mark Mercieca, Justine Grech and Nicholas Vella prosecuted, assisted by lawyers Elaine Mercieca and Ann Marie Cutajar from the AG’s Office.

Lawyer Amadeus Cachia was also defence counsel.