On 10 November 2004 a Chinese woman admitted acting as an intermediary for five people, three Chinese and two Libyans to leave Malta illegally.

The compilation of evidence against Geng Yan, 37, continued yesterday. During the sitting, her defence attorney, Dr Joseph Giglio, declared his client had admitted the crimes last November by means of a letter to the Attorney General.

The woman’s name had been mentioned at a sitting in the case against Reuben Galea, a man being accused of illegally transporting these five people with the aim of taking them to Sicily. During the first sitting in the case against Ms Yan, presiding magistrate Giovanni Grixti had ruled sufficient prima facie evidence had been presented for a bill of indictment to be drawn up against her.

In the case against Mr Galea, one of the Chinese men who was on the speedboat allegedly being driven by the man (which suffered technical problems and had to be towed back in to Malta) had told the court that Ms Yan, who lived in his apartment block, told him she could act as an intermediary and arrange for him to go up to Sicily without the need of a visa. The three Chinese men said they paid her $400 each for the service she provided.

During yesterday’s sitting, Lieutenant James Grech took the stand to tell of how he found the stranded speedboat being towed by another boat south of Marsaxlokk on 7 October 2004.

He said that he had spoken to one of the Chinese men who told him they were forced to eat toothpaste because they were stranded with no food for a number of days.

Inspector Mario Haber prosecuted.

The case continues.