Migrant admits using tampered passport for asylum application

A man who was arrested while trying to apply for asylum using a false passport has been spared jail, receiving a suspended sentence after admitting the charges against him.

Mohamed al Zedan, a 20 year-old asylum seeker from Syria, was arraigned under arrest on Thursday before magistrate Ian Farrugia.

Prosecuting police inspector Karl Roberts charged the man with offences relating to the possession of a passport that had been tampered with and which he had knowingly made use of, making a false declaration to the immigration authorities and receiving a passport which did not belong to him.

The court was told that Al Zedan had been arrested at Floriana after using the tampered document while applying for asylum. 

Al Zedan pleaded guilty to the charges.

Defence lawyer Noel Bianco said the man had previously thrown his real passport away and had obtained the fake one after becoming aware that it was needed to apply for asylum.

The court after taking into account the evidence and arguments, as well as the circumstances of the case, sentenced the man to imprisonment for two years, suspended for four.