A man was yesterday cleared of all the charges brought against him after a the Court of Criminal Appeal declared that the drug which was found in his possession was a restricted but uncategorised drug according to law.

In June, Anthony Joseph Portelli, 30, from Bugibba, was found guilty of trafficking and being in possession of 90 pills on and before 15 August 1997. He was also found guilty of committing a crime he was duty-bound to prevent in view of his position as a soldier. The Court of Magistrates had jailed him for two years suspended for four years and fined him Lm2,000.

The Court of Appeal, presided over by Chief Justice Vincent De Gaetano heard that Mr Portelli was in possession of Methylenedioxy-Nethylamphetamine which is a restricted drug, but uncategorised according to law. As a result, Mr Portelli had been wrongly charged and the court cleared him of all the charges brought against him.

Police Superintendent Neil Harrison prosecuted.