A Canberra man has pleaded not guilty to two charges involving the alleged cultivation of more than 200 cannabis plants as his trial began in the ACT Supreme Court on Wednesday.
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The trial of Abdul John Nikro relates to events from 2011, and began with a statement from prosecutor Sara Gul who said houses at O'Connor and Macgregor were not lived in, were found with similar chemicals inside them and had power diverted illegally to the growing systems.
Mr Nikro, 28, is charged with cultivating a commercial quantity of cannabis plants - numbering 105 - at the O'Connor property, and of cultivating 99 cannabis plants - defined as a trafficable quantity - at the Macgregor property with an intention to sell or have another sell them.
On Wednesday afternoon the court heard evidence from an Australian Federal Police senior forensic biologist in relation to DNA material taken from latex gloves at the O'Connor property and cigarette butts found at the Macgregor premises.
The witness gave evidence of a strong likelihood the DNA material matched the accused, describing a likelihood ratio of 47 million for the gloves and 1 billion for one of the butts.
"Anything over 1,000,000 likelihood is an extremely strong finding," the forensic biologist said.
After questioning from the defence counsel, the forensic biologist said it was possible the accused's DNA could have been transferred to the gloves without him wearing them.
The crown had earlier shown video evidence of the hydroponic system at the O'Connor home on Waratah Street, with three rooms plus a granny flat and a shed fitted out to allegedly grow the plants.
An AFP crime scene scientist gave evidence the three bedrooms each had plastic sheeting on the floor, with pots containing cannabis plants found connected to a hydroponic system.
The trial continues.
