Convicted of housing illegal foreign resident

A 27-year-old Syrian man was yesterday sentenced to one year imprisonment suspended for two years for housing an illegally residing foreigner.

Plainclothes policemen sear-ching for the migrant visited Mr Mamdouh Altllas at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning at his Bir-kirkara residence and demanded to inspect the premises. However, police sources said Mr Altllas helped the man escape.

Later, he cooperated with the police, the court heard, and the defence argued that the Syrian was just trying to help when he kept the man at his home.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and was given a suspended sentence. “You can’t help anyone for these two years as you will end up in prison. Don’t forget you have a family you need to look after,” Mag-istrate Edwina Grima warned, after handing down judgment.

Inspector Elton Taliana led the prosecution.