Woman admits to having made false declaration to immigration authorities in 2016

A woman who gave false particulars to the Maltese authorities as she had already been granted asylum in Italy 5 years ago has been handed a suspended sentence by a court.

Marsa resident Woldu Muluwongel, 34, from Eritrea, had arrived in Malta in 2016 and had told the Refugee Commissioner that she was someone else to avoid being identified and returned to Italy at the time.

But when her money recently ran out in Malta, she had come forward to the authorities in a bid to be repatriated to Italy.

Muluwongel pleaded guilty to charges of making a false declaration to the Maltese authorities, after consulting with her lawyer for a considerable period of time.

The court sentenced her to one year in prison, suspended for one year, in view of her cooperation with the police in the case.

Lawyer Joseph Ellis was defence counsel.

Inspector Karl Roberts prosecuted.