Iffouf Yigo, a migrant from the Ivory Coast who has been in Malta for three years, was this morning jailed for nine months after being convicted of having tried to leave the island last week carrying an Italian residence card and an ID card which did not belong to him.

Defence lawyer Renzo Porsella Flores in submissions on punishment, said the father of the accused was dead, his mother and sister were still in the Ivory Coast, and the accused wanted to go to Sicily to meet his brother who lives there.

The accused had cooperated fully with the police and this was just a case of him wanting to be reunited with his family, which was a basic human right.

Inspector Mario Haber, Principal Immigration Officer said the court should impose a sentence which served as a deterrent.

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