Desirée pusher 'didn't give her drugs'

(ANSA) - Rome, November 14 - A Roman pusher held in the alleged rape and drugs death of 16-year-old Desirée Mariottini in a Rome drugs den did not supply her with the drugs, a judge ruled Wednesday.
    The judge ratified an arrest warrant for the man, Marco Mancini, but dropped the aggravating factor of giving drugs to a minor.
    Mancini told the judge "I wan't there, I didn't give thr girl the drugs".
    On Tuesday two of the five people arrested in Desirèe's alleged rape and murder last month saw their murder charges dropped.
    A re-examination court annulled the murder charges against Chima Alinno and Brian Minthe.
    It also scaled back a charge of gang rape to sexual abuse aggravated by the minor age of the victim.
    Both saw drug pushing charges upheld.
    They therefore remain in jail.
    Mancini, 36, the fifth man in the case, was arrested on Sunday.
    The girl was allegedly drugged up, raped and left to die in an abandoned building used as a drugs den in Rome's San Lorenzo district last month in a case that shocked the nation.
    Mancini, was also detained for allegedly selling drugs, including mixes containing quetiapine, with minors suspected of being among his clients.
    But it has now been ruled out that he gave Mariottini the drugs that killed her.
    During a search, 12 doses of cocaine and various forms of psychiatric medicine were seized from Mancini.
    Four African men, including two Senegalese drug pushers, a Nigerian and a Ghanian, have also been arrested in relation to the case.