A Libyan man was yesterday jailed for two years and four months after he pleaded guilty to importing cannabis on 26 March 2005.

Ismail Khamis Rojbani, 30, was apprehended at the Malta International Airport with a total of 241 grams of cannabis resin. He was stopped by customs officials but he managed to escape.

As he was running out of the arrivals lounge, customs officials who were chasing him noticed a bag falling. He was apprehended some time later and the bag was found to contain cannabis resin.

He told police that he had only come to Malta to buy sweets to take with him back to Libya and that he was due to leave Malta that same day.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano jailed him for 28 months from which the time he spent in preventive custody should be deducted.

He was also fined Lm2,000 and ordered to pay Lm138 in court expenses. If these are not paid, they will be converted to an extra six months in jail.

Police inspector Norbert Ciappara prosecuted while Dr Joseph Giglio appeared for the accused.