A 31-year-old Malian man was today jailed for a total of two years and seven months after he was found guilty – for the second time – of using false travel documents an attempt to travel to Italy.

In November 2012, Yacouba Doumbia had received a two-year suspended jail term after being convicted of using false travel documents to move to Italy.

He made a second attempt yesterday, presenting a fake Italian resident permit at the airport, with similar results. He was arrested, and admitted to police that he had paid some €2,000 for the document.

Coincidentally, Mr Doumbia faced the same magistrate – Audrey Demicoli – who had convicted him in 2012.

He pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him, and this time round, Magistrate Demicoli decided on an effective, 7-month jail term.

However, the crime was committed during the operative term of his suspended sentence, which was thus made active, adding two years to the total jail time Mr Doumbia faces.

 

Inspector Victor Aquilina, the principal immigration official, prosecuted, while lawyer Anthony Cutajar appeared for the defendant.