A Syrian teacher who admitted to entering Malta illegally to reunite with his brothers and work as a plasterer was handed a suspended jail term by a court today.
Ahmad Alalo, 30, was apprehended yesterday by immigration police at Malta International Airport soon after landing from Athens. It transpired that the Syrian man had tried to enter Malta using somebody else’s passport.
Mr Alalo was charged this morning before Magistrate Ian Farrugia and pleaded guilty.
Police inspector Darren Buhagiar who prosecuted described the accused as “an economic migrant”. He noted that the defendant collaborated with the police during interrogation, except when asked for the sum of money which he would have paid, had his plan to enter Malta illegally succeeded.
The court heard that the man, a qualified teacher, was desperate to flee war in Syria and wanted to join his two brothers in Malta and work with them as a plasterer. It also transpired that the defendant had entered Europe via Greece, but had not applied for asylum status, even though he had his fingerprints recorded by the Greek authorities.
Defence lawyer Jason Grima argued that his client should be offered the same treatment as migrants who reached Malta by boat, and consequently should not be sent to prison. Furthermore, he added that the defendant would not be a burden on the state as he had a job waiting for him. Fort this reason the defence urged the court to consider a suspended sentence.
Prior to delivering his decision Magistrate Ian Farrugia enquired with the prosecution as to the various options at hand for Maltese authorities in such situation.
While deportation was out of the question as Syria is a country at war, it transpired that in all probability the defendant would be granted asylum status if he filed a request with the refugee commission. Otherwise, there could be the possibility to send him back to Greece, and leave matters in their hands.
In its decision the court sentenced the man to six months imprisonment suspended for 18 months as well as a €750 fine.