A young Libyan man was given a six-month jail term, suspended for a year, yesterday after he admitted cocaine and cannabis possession.

Mohsen Mohamed Zarti, 25, residing in Paceville, pleaded guilty to being in possession of cocaine and cannabis resin on 7 August 2005 and the previous months. The drugs were found under circumstances suggesting they were for his own personal use.

When Zarti filed his guilty plea, presiding magistrate Lawrence Quintano warned him that he would have to pay the expenses incurred by the court for a report to be drawn up. These amounted to around Lm128.

Zarti told the court that all the money he had had was seized by the police on his arrest. Prosecuting inspector Mario Tonna told Magistrate Quintano that the $400 and Lm20 they had seized should just about amount to the expenses the accused owed the court.

The magistrate agreed to this and gave permission for Zarti’s mobile phone, passport and plane ticket to be returned to him. He also approved the return of Zarti’s necklace to him.

However, Magistrate Quintano ordered that the drugs and a lighter found on Zarti were to be destroyed.