A truck driver was today acquitted of trying to smuggle a Malian man to Sicily.

Magistrate Edwina Grima heard that the investigation started back in August 2010 when the police received an anonymous call about a truck near Lowenbrau in Marsa which was taking dark skinned people to where the Catamaran for Sicily left.

The police went to the port, held the Catamaran and found 31-year-old Malian Toure Nuha in the cabin of the truck that was being driven by Simon Haber, 30, of St Paul’s Bay.

Mr Nuha had claimed he was going to pay the accused €1,300 and said he had been arraigned in court on charges of trying to leave Malta illegally and admitted to the charges.

Taking the witness stand, the accused said that he had only been informed that he was to drive to Sicily just a few hours before the trip.

As he was driving from near Lowenbrau in Marsa, he was stopped by Mr Nuha who pleaded and cried for a lift to the port. Mr Nuha also pleaded for a ticket to Sicily.

Mr Haber said he took Mr Nuha on because he felt sorry for him and on arrival at the port he bought him the requested ticket.

In its judgement, the court said it did not seem that Mr Nuha was hiding because the police found him immediately. No money was found on the accused except for €584 and there was no proof at all that money had changed hands.

Lawyers Joe Giglio and Steve Tonna Lowell appeared for Mr Haber.