Magistrate Abigail Lofaro heard how a man who is a drug user and suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder needs to be kept under permanent supervision if his demise is to be avoided.

Charles Zammit was arraigned in court and charged with drug abuse and with repeatedly breaching his probationary conditions by Superintendent Pierre Calleja.

Dr George Grech from the Detox Centre testified how urine samples are currently being collected at the centre.

Questioned by Dr Robert Abela who appeared on behalf of the accused, Dr Grech said that due to administrative problems at their end, the Probationary Services Department at Corradino Correctional Facility had asked the Detox Centre to carry out all the urine tests of their clients.

Dr Grech said this had created significant problems as the Centre was short staffed; there was only one nurse working full time who had to attend to over 700 cases a day. He said there was a process of supervision when carrying out urine tests, as the Centre always established whether the sample being tested actually belonged to the person providing it.

Asked about the situation regarding Mr Zammit, Dr Grech confirmed that the sample provided by the accused had turned out not to be his. He said the sample was tested for methadone and other drug related substances and these were found to be absent in Zammit’s sample. Dr Grech also described how he had repeatedly asked the accused to provide a urine sample but Mr Zammit remained adamantly defiant and refused.

Cross-examined by Supt. Calleja, Dr Grech said the accused needs help. He confirmed that if Zammit was not kept under some sort of constant supervision, he would be a danger to himself and to society in general.

Dr Grech also confirmed that the accused had been sent to Mount Carmel Hospital and was later discharged with an observation order for 28 days. At this point, Magistrate Lofaro inquired what was going to happen after the probation period expired and asked Dr Grech what malady the accused suffered from. Dr Grech said Zammit suffered from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and possibly a form of psychosis, which was exacerbated by his drug problem.

At one point, the accused started shouting in court and when Dr Grech left the stand, he was also verbally abused by Zammit who was in a very agitated state.

Supt. Calleja maintained that Dr Grech’s testimony simply confirmed that the accused was a danger to himself and to society in general. He said a solution must be found as Zammit needs to be constantly watched. Dr Abela also agreed with this but recommended that they wait for the prison doctor to return from abroad so that some sort of decision could be made on Zammit, short of sending him to prison.

Magistrate Lofaro said it was important for a solution to be found as she did not want to be partly responsible for Zammit’s eventual demise if he is left to his own devices. She asked whether it would be possible for Zammit to start a rehabilitation programme.

The case continues.