Eritrean men jailed after attempting to travel to Italy using third party passports

Three men from Eritrea aged 24, 23 and 22, residing at the Birzebbugia open centre have been jailed after admitting to charges of having attempted to travel to Italy, using passports which weren’t theirs and making false declarations to the immigration authorities.

Haratab Aftab, Biniam Gebremikhal and Kbriaeb Fisehaye were arraigned before magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech after being arrested at the airport on 11 April, whilst trying to board a flight to Bologna.

The men, who were assisted by lawyer Victor Bugeja in the proceedings, pleaded guilty to the charges.

The court gave the men some time to reconsider their admission, after which their lawyer informed the court that they were insisting on their guilty plea.

The men were sentenced to imprisonment for six months.

Inspector Hubert Gerada prosecuted.