Two migrants were jailed this afternoon for admitting to having tried to leave Malta illegally yesterday. David Ba, 29, was imprisoned for seven months for trying to leave illegally and making use of someone else's passport.

Resent Ederion, 29, a Nigerian immigrant, was jailed for six months.

Both admitted to giving false information to the immigration authorities when they tried to leave Malta for Sicily aboard the catamaran. Mr Ba alone also pleaded guilty to making use of a passport belonging to a certain Rouben Justin Koury.

During submissions on punishment, defence counsel Mark Busuttil told the court that the two men were not hardened criminals. "They just want to improve their lives because the situation is disastrous in their countries," the lawyer said.

Magistrate Antonio Mizzi noted that the men faced a two-year jail term. Given the circumstances, and recent case law, he jailed Mr Ederion for six months and Mr Ba for seven months. Police Inspector Joseph Hersey prosecuted.

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