A man who was in court last month after allegedly trying to sell cannabis to a police officer was back in court yesterday after he was caught trying to board the catamaran to Sicily with a false passport.

The 24-year-old man from Niger, Hassan Smaila Mohammed, who lives in Msida, was arrested as he was trying to leave the island.

Police Inspectors Silvio Magro and Trevor Micallef said the police were investigating the theft of a Samsung mobile phone from St George’s Bay at 1am on August 9. The police traced the mobile and spoke to a woman who told them that she had bought it from someone else.

After further investigation, the police established that the person was Mr Smaila, who, when contacted, promised to go to the police station. But he failed to do so and was placed on the wanted list. On Tuesday, police officers on duty at the sea port arrested the man as he tried to board the catamaran.

Before Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, Mr Smaila pleaded not guilty to the theft of the mobile phone, handling stolen goods, falsifying a passport and a residency permit and to breaching the bail conditions of a pending criminal case.

Mr Smaila did not request bail and was remanded in custody.

In July, Mr Smaila, who has been living in Malta since 2007, was charged with the theft of mobile phones from St George’s Bay and with trying to sell cannabis to a person who later identified himself as a police officer.

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