Man scores own goal trying to help foreign footballer

A 59-year-old man was yesterday fined €1,000 (Lm429.18) by Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera after he was found guilty of forging documents on behalf of an Egyptian man who wanted to get a work permit to stay in Malta as a football player.

Joseph Dingli of Xewkija was originally charged with forging documents, forging signatures and making a false declaration on and before July, 2003.

Joseph Cordina, president of the Gozo Football Association, testified that he had suspected that documents he had received, regarding an Egyptian man called Ali Moursi Ibrahim, were false.

Mr Ibrahim had tried to sign up with the association as a professional football player but he had never been registered with the association before or any club in Gozo and that is what had given rise to his suspicions. Taking the witness stand, Mr Ibrahim said he had not played football for a while because he had injured his leg in a car accident. However, he wanted to continue living in Malta as he would be drafted into the army were he to return to his country.

Police investigations showed that Mr Dingli had been supplying Mr Ibrahim with false documents so as to extend his work permit and remain in Malta.

On examining Mr Dingli's computer during a search in his home, the police found letterheads and false contracts involving Sannat FC, Xewkija Tigers FC and Gozo FA and false signatures of the respective members of the clubs.

Police Inspectors Joseph Cordina and Ian Joseph Abdilla prosecuted.