The prosecution and the defence yesterday debated about the credibility of those who took the witness stand during the trial by jury of Stanley Chircop.

Defence lawyer Joe Brincat said the prosecution presented witnesses who all had reasons to accuse the defendant of trafficking. After analysing each witness and pointing out reasons why the jury should not believe them, he endorsed his client, saying that his testimony was a frank rendition of his troubled life. Dr Brincat said Mr Chircop was now totally against drugs and praised him for keeping referring to his probation officer even years after his probation period was over as well as for giving talks to drug users.

For his part, prosecutor Dr Aaron Bugeja said his witnesses had collaborated with the police as after they had been apprehended, saying that six people who were all pointing fingers at a man could not all be wrong.

Mr Chircop, 38, from Zebbug and residing in Fgura, is standing trial over charges of conspiring to trade in drugs, trafficking in and being in possession of cocaine and heroin between February 1997 and June 1998 and November and December 1997 respectively.

The two agreed that Mr Chircop in his testimony on Tuesday admitted to possessing cocaine and heroin. However, they disagreed on whether he should be found guilty to the drug trafficking charges.

The third day of the trial started with jurors asking additional questions to clarify the salient points of the testimony he gave on Tuesday.

Later yesterday, the prosecution rested its case. The defence started making its final submissions and will continue today.