Libyan man hides 130 birds in suitcase
A Libyan man was fined €240 and handed a six-month jail term suspended for a year after he admitted in court to animal cruelty when he stuffed 130 birds into a dozen small boxes in his luggage to smuggle out of Malta.
Police Inspector Alexander Miruzzi told the court that the accused, Shaban Giuma El Ghazik, 27, had cooperated with the police.
He said that such cases were happening about once a month and the court had to send a clear message that this had to stop. He called for a fine and a suspended jail term.
The inspector said many of the birds had survived and were being kept at Ghammieri before being taken to an aviary at San Anton Garden. A number had died.
Legal Aid lawyer Mark Busuttil told the court that his client did not know that it was illegal to export the birds in this way.
He said his client was a first-time offender and did not deserve a suspended jail term. His client had bought the birds in good faith but these had been confiscated, which was already a punishment. He said the accused had not tried to hide the birds.
The prosecution said the birds were hidden and the defence argument did not hold water.
The court than imposed the fine and suspended jail term.
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T.Barrie Bosworth
Jan 13th 2011, 20:01
What is he a Magician or what, normally such people have *White Doves* hidden among their personal self. or maybe he could fly free with the aid of the birds, Did he by any chance leave one bird behind, you know the one behind the Maltese singer at the eurovison song contest.? just a thought(without sounding sarcastic you understand)
Maria D.Sacco
Jan 13th 2011, 19:36
Note to the Authorities: Please make sure these birds, after being re-located, do not end up as their feathered brothers did in a certain government building a few years ago, that is, after a certain time, being whisked away to private residences; in other words: stolen!
Paul Xuereb
Jan 13th 2011, 17:24
Euro 1.85 a bird.
Steve Zammit
Jan 13th 2011, 17:56
Incredible what a farce...a 240euro fine therefore an average of 1.85 euro per bird...I am sure he or whoever would have sold each bird for at least double if not triple the price ....
As someone said below, it would be interesting to know what bird species they are...are they cage birds like canaries or finches?...as their price varies alot from bird to bird! Are they protected birds or not???
Marilyn Baldacchino Gatt
Jan 13th 2011, 15:50
WELL DONE TO THE MALTESE JUSTICE.. HE WAS CAUGHT EXPORTING BIRDS IN A SUITCASE AND HE WAS NOT EVEN CHARGED 2 EURO ON EACH BIRD!! SHAME ON OUR LAWS!!!
A Attard
Jan 13th 2011, 15:45
It would be interesting to know what kind of birds they were (protected? endangered?) and who sold them to him, since obviously more than one crime appears to have been committed here!
Stephen Koludrovic
Jan 13th 2011, 15:38
It probably would have cost him less, if he went to a forwarding agent, and just exported them the normal way.
Joe Xuereb
Jan 13th 2011, 15:37
This seems a Libyan way to make a quick buck. If it's not birds, it's heroin. Although to be fair, not all Libyans are traffickers of birds, or drugs, or beaters of women.
A forthnight ago there was a similar case with a quanttity of birds in two boxes. I had the temerity to question the charged felon's residence status in Malta (fair question seeing that Libya is a 'free' country. For my troubles I was called a bigot (against foreigners). And some bright spark added that he could have been a tourist like so many British and American tourists are. Yet another bright man asked me whether I would prefer Malta to be surrounded by a high wall so that nobody could get in; and other nonsense so typical of a certain category of Maltese mindset. All knee-jerk reactions of course. I had a strong suspicion that all three had a vested interest in birds. If you see what I mean.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110104/local/police-arrest-man-for-illegally-exporting-songbirds
D. Mallia
Jan 13th 2011, 14:32
nies bhal dawn jghidulek niehu cans hux.....jekk ninqabad nehel 240 Eur, jekk le ndahhal hafna iktar minn hekk. well done eh! vera gustizzja din !!
A Chetcuti
Jan 13th 2011, 14:11
Poor birds...... this guy deseves to be thrown to the lions.
Richard Muscat
Jan 13th 2011, 13:38
Seriously? 240 Euros? That's valuing the suffering caused to each of the 130 birds at less than 2 Euros.
That aside, is that amount really any sort of realistic deterrent?
G. Grech
Jan 13th 2011, 13:37
Eur 240 fine for animal cruelty?
This is a farce.
c spiteri
Jan 13th 2011, 14:58
and legal aid min fuq it taxxi tal maltin
J Apap
Jan 13th 2011, 13:29
Tajba, xi hadd li jipprova jiehu hsieb il-klieb imma ma sabuhomx fi stat tajjeb wehel 500 (mhux qed niggustifika li ghamel!)... u dan Prova jahbi 130 go bagalja (u jaf li kien qed jaghmel hazin!!) jehel 240!! Kif waslu ghax konkluzjoni bhall-din? Nikkwota ... "send a clear message that this had to stop" .. B'sahhtu hafna is-sinjal li qed jindbat. Ghollu il-multi fuq il-mohrqija ta l-annimali.. l-ambjent mhux biss li inwahhlu is-sigar u nara li ma inhamgux, imma li niehdu hsieb l-annimali ukoll!!
Mario Farrugia
Jan 13th 2011, 14:34
So true!
Where's the logic in these sentences????