The brother-in-law of Scotland’s former first minister Humza Yousaf has told a court that he spent up to £800 in a single day on crack cocaine.
Ramsay El-Nakla, 37, was giving evidence over the death of Ryan Munro, who fell to his death from a flat in Dundee in January last year.
Mr El-Nakla was originally charged along with Stephen Stewart, Jennifer Souter, and Victoria McGowan of extorting money from Mr Munro, and with drugs offences, but was acquitted last week.
The trio deny killing Mr Munro. Mr El-Nakla was not charged over his death.
He told the High Court in Edinburgh that in January last year he was taking drugs and using a more addictive form of the Class A drug cocaine.
Advocate depute Alex Prentice KC asked him: “Did this drug take over your life at this time?”, to which he replied “yes”.
He was asked how much the drug was costing him in December 2023 and January 2024.
Mr El-Nakla, a gas and electrical engineer, told the court that he would spend £700 or £800 in a single day on the drug when he got paid, but after that it would cost him £10 to £20 a day.
It is alleged the trio put Mr Munro in an extreme state of fear for his safety by threatening and intimidating him.
Prosecutors say this caused him to flee through a high window, where he died from his injuries after falling to the ground.
Mr El-Nakla was called as a witness by the Crown and told the court that he had been clean of drugs for months.
He said in January 2024 he sourced crack cocaine from Stephen Stewart and would go to the Morgan Street flat to buy the drug.
He said on 9 January last year he went to the flat and got crack cocaine passed to him through the letterbox.
Mr El Nakla said he later gave a lift to Mr Stewart and Ms McGowan from the flat to another address in Dundee.
He said: “They told me somebody had stolen £700.”
Mr El-Nakla said he was asked to go back to the Morgan Street flat and ask Mr Munro, who was there, if he had any money left.
He said that Mr Munro, who he did not know previously, appeared scared.
He told the court Mr Munro said he had not taken money and he believed him, but he transferred money into Mr El-Nakla’s account.
The trial before judge Lady Drummond continues.