A Libyan national was yesterday handed a suspended sentence for having a false passport.

Ahmed Al Ragoub Alkilani, 39, was charged with making a false declaration to a public authority and being in possession of a false immigration document.

The man, who lives in Tunis, was arrested on Wednesday at the airport on his arrival from Libya.

His lawyer, Arthur Azzo-pardi, entered a guilty plea, asking Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona to consider the situation in the country the accused came from.

Dr Azzopardi said that his client had come to register a company in Malta but used false documentation. His CV, drafted by a third party, indicated that he spoke good English, which was not the case.

“He cannot say he did not know what the law says and cannot say that he was tricked. Had there been another way, I am sure he would have taken that route,” Dr Azzopardi said.

The accused was given a six-month jail sentence suspended for a year.

Police Inspector Frankie Sammut prosecuted.