A Libyan man was yesterday charged with human trafficking and trying to help five Egyptian men leave Malta illegally on Monday.

In turn, the five Egyptians were each jailed for a month after they admitted to trying to leave the island without presenting the necessary travel documents to the authorities.

In the first case, Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera heard Abdul Salem Mohamed Ab Xilfa Selwa, 30, deny that he was involved in the trafficking of human beings and conspiring to commit the crime on Sunday night. The court heard Mr Selwa say he had fought with the five men he was travelling with on a boat and then jumped off.

He was remanded in custody.

In the second case, Hamed Hamis Nader, 24, Nema Hamis Badux, 32, Mohamed Ahmed AA Ubusaned, 27, Subhi Atija Ranem Junis, 25, and Mohamed F Al Fithjani, 29, pleaded guilty to not having been in possession of the necessary travel documents when they tried to leave Malta illegally.

The court heard that the men were found a few miles off Malta on a boat.

Police Inspector Nezren Grixti prosecuted.

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