Updated: Escaping migrants carried passports saying 'State of Sabotage'
Three migrants who tried to escape from Malta illegally used fake passports whose quality was so poor, they were not even considered by the police as being a forgery, a court was told on Sunday evening.
Police Inspector Mario Haber said the so-called passports did not even carry pictures of the men, but of other people.
And they carried the words: Issued by the State of Sabotage and 'Government of World Citizens'
The migrants, Mustafa Sarim, 20, from Burkina Faso and John Bull Ibrahim, 23 and Christian Obice, 21, both Nigerian, were each jailed for two months after admitting to trying to leave Malta illegally without proper documentation.
Earlier, a Nigerian man, Michael Chileno Okechukwu Ama Obi, was remanded in custody after having been accused of helping migrants escape from Malta by boarding the catamaran to Sicily.
Ama Obi, who is married to a Maltese woman, pleaded not guilty.
Another migrant, Promise Ndubueze, 30 of Nigeria was jailed for a month for escaping from the Safi Detention Centre.
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Antoine Cassar
Aug 3rd 2009, 10:59
A world passport issued by a supraregional planetary government, a union in which all regions (not nations) share sovereignty, where all human beings enjoy equal rights and opportunities, regardless of the landscape and language into which they are born. It is still generations away, and will take copious efforts of campaigning and mind-opening. Until then, the static notion of nation state will continue to displace and imprison us.
Joe Fenech
Aug 3rd 2009, 10:33
One solution: OUT !!!!!!!!!!! Send them all back to Africa and give Africa and the criminals rings running this business a strong message.
Don't pay for their passports - make their countries pay. If they don't cut all relations with Africa.
If this is not done the government is complice and has no legal right to rule the country any more.
r ferriggi
Aug 3rd 2009, 09:44
does the maltese govt have a repatriation scheme to nigeria??
it is understandabel that sub saharan africans try to leave their countries for many reasons.
but nigeria is a different case. it is also an oil-rich country. although this does not mean there is no poverty etc ... but i am sure they can find work if they try hard enough.
of course,,,,, cases of political or religious cases should be treated fairly .
but the governemnt should be bolder with the cases of drug couriers, migrantion assistance etc.
let us not give the impression that malta is ''soft''. that we can be ''used and abused''.
there are people who will do it willingly!!!
Alex Spiteri
Aug 3rd 2009, 08:49
'Government of World Citizens'
seems these persons were too influenced by what their Graffiti friends told them!!
J. Grima
Aug 3rd 2009, 01:09
As usual instead of trying to solve the problem we just nurture it, then we complain. what a ridiculous country we live in.
Joe Fenech
Aug 2nd 2009, 23:44
The havoc and the tragedy keep unfolding!!!
SEND THEM ALL BACK TO THEIR COUNTRIES!!!!
john micallef
Aug 2nd 2009, 22:26
let them go, don't stop them.
malcolm seychell
Aug 2nd 2009, 20:25
Prosit . keep on sending the wrong message.
We should start arresting those who bring them here and not those who make them leave.
Idiots
Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi
Aug 2nd 2009, 20:22
These Nigerians are in the News a lot lately.
Any chance of legally repatriating that ones that are not suppose to be here, to save us from this constant headache?
M.Brincat
Aug 2nd 2009, 20:14
Are you serious?
Why not TIP him?