Jailed for using false travel documents
A 25-year-old illegal immigrant who tried to board an Air Malta flight bound for Italy using false travel documents was yesterday jailed for six months.
Police Inspector Edel Mary Camilleri said Samer Kassim from Mali was stopped at one of the boarding gates of Malta International Airport when an Air Malta employee realised his Italian residency card, passport and identity card were false.
Aided by a French translator, Mr Kassim pleaded guilty to trying to leave the island on Tuesday when in possession of false documents.
In pleas on punishment, the officer said Mr Kassim had not cooperated during the investigations and gave little information about where he had obtained the documents from.
Legal aid lawyer Patrick Valentino told Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna his client was a first-time offender and had a clean police record. There were recent judgments where other immigrants in similar circumstances were given suspended jail terms, defence counsel argued.
The magistrate interjected saying there were no special circumstances in the case and, therefore, the man could not benefit from a suspended sentence. He was jailed for six months which is the minimum allowed by law.
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Louise Vella
Jun 3rd 2010, 12:27
According to an article in The Guardian (May 25, 2010) on “EU border agency says third fewer illegal immigrants spotted in past year”:
“A total of 8,200 forged documents were seized from people trying to enter the EU in 2009; most (72%) were spotted at airports. Nigerians resorted to forged documents most frequently, although France was said to be the most common source of forged papers.”
This man is from Mali, a former French colony; he was probably headed for France where many of his nationals reside. The false Italian papers were just meant to take him to Italy as a stepping stone. The use of false documents seems to have led to an industry.
Sean Grima
Jun 3rd 2010, 14:05
use of false documents is not limited to africans, unlike the impression you are trying to give.
M Mealclaff
Jun 3rd 2010, 11:47
In this case the Police claimed that The Accused did not cooperate by not talking.
If one has the right to Silence during Interregation.. Then how can this Silence be held against him in Court ?
Joe Bugeja
Jun 3rd 2010, 11:17
"Legal aid lawyer Patrick Valentino told Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna his client was a first-time offender and had a clean police record...."
He cannot be a first time offender since he entered Malta illegally. Does he have a clean police record in his own country?
Sean Grima
Jun 3rd 2010, 14:06
he was not accused of entering malta illegally, so, yes, he was a first time offender.
Joe Bugeja
Jun 3rd 2010, 20:35
Mr Grima just because he was not accused when he entered Malta illegally does not mean that he didn't break our laws so he is not a first time offender.
Sean Grima
Jun 4th 2010, 11:12
nonsense. you cannot be guilty of breaking a law you are not even accused of breaking in the first place. you should understand that magistrates know more about the law than you.