A Somali human smuggler who was recognised by disgruntled fellow countrymen while on holiday in Malta two years ago was yesterday jailed for four years and six months.

Mohammed Dhiblaawe, 35, was living in an open centre in Bari, Italy when he came for a holiday to Malta and was recognised by Somali men who claimed he had taken money from them and brought them over to Malta instead of mainland Europe.

One in particular, Omar Hasan Nour, reported Mr Dhiblaawe to the police in March 2009 and told them he had paid $900 for the trip to Europe but ended up on the island. The boat taking him to Europe was meant to leave from Libya and he paid accordingly but he felt cheated because he ended up in Malta.

The police said subsequent investigations revealed Mr Dhiblaawe had illegally ferried people from Libya to Europe before and had made large profits in the process.

Mr Nour confirmed it was Mr Dhiblaawe who had approached him and other men who also paid the accused the same amount for the trip to Europe.

Mr Justice Michael Mallia jailed Mr Dhiblaawe after taking into consideration the plea bargaining by defence lawyers Joseph Giglio and Giannella Caruana Curran and lawyer Lara Lanfranco from the Attorney General’s office.