Suspended jail term

A 21-year-old Nigerian man was yesterday given a six-month jail term suspended for two years for escaping from a detention centre and trying to make use of his relative's passport to leave the island.

Friday Oje pleaded guilty to escaping from the Hal Far detention centre last November and trying to leave the island by using a passport belonging to his relative on Saturday.

On handing down judgment, Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna noted that Mr Oje had filed an early guilty plea and had a clean criminal record.

Police Inspector Sandro Zarb prosecuted.

Lawyer Renzo Porsella-Flores was defence counsel.