An Iranian man who bought a stolen Swedish passport for €4,200 but was stopped upon arrival in Malta has received a suspended sentence and will be deported immediately.
Cherazi Masoud, 35, pleaded guilty to the possession of a stolen passport as well as to its use.
The court heard how Mr Masoud purchased the passport from someone in Turkey, not knowing that it had been reported stolen. The passport belonged to a Swedish man. He was stopped upon entry to Malta when there was an obvious mismatch between the Iranian and the Swedish national's photograph on the passport.
He pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him and Magistrate Doreen Clarke sentenced him to four months in jail suspended for two years. The Iranian will be deported from Malta.
Police Inspector Frankie Sammut prosecuted while lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace appeared for the man.