Three people were sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison after being convicted of conspiring to traffic in human beings in October 2002.

Doris Montebello, 53 from Mosta, Peter Borg 25 from Birkirkara and Ferhat Guellouma, 53 from Birkirkara, were found guilty of trying to get 25 people – Tunisians, Moroccans and Turkish families – out of Malta illegally and against payment on the night of 2 October 2002.

Montebello was sentenced to three years for her participation in the crime and Borg to four, since he drove the van that was found to be carrying these people who had paid to be taken to Italy on a boat. Guellouma, on the other hand was sentenced to five years, since the court ruled he was the brains behind the operation.

Ahmed Aidi, a Tunisian, testified in the proceedings against the three and explained how he had paid Guellouma $400 to be taken to Italy. He told how two of his friends had contacted the accused who told them of the arrangement. In all, the three gave Guellouma $1,300 for his services.

Mr Aidi told the court that Borg had been driving the van and was supposed to take him, along with another 24 people – four Tunisians, three Moroccans and 17 Turks – five men, five women and seven children, to the boarding location.

He said Borg drove them to a place near the sea, although he was not able to identify the area.

He said that once the police had closed in on the van, Borg ran off, leaving them in the vehicle.

Inspectors Denise Mula and Silvio Valletta also testified in the proceedings and explained how the van carrying the foreigners was found in Bahar ic-Caghaq on the night of 2 October 2002. They said that as they drew closer, Borg had put his hand into his shirt, leading Insp. Valletta to fire a warning shot. The accused ran off after hearing this shot.

Borg denied being the driver of the van. When a personal search resulted in the van’s key being found on his person, he claimed he had been walking in the vicinity and had found it on the ground.

Montebello’s involvement was also revealed in the proceedings. It was shown that she had sheltered the three Moroccan men, although she denied any involvement in the case.

The court noted that there was no doubt that Guellouma had been inciting people to travel to Italy by illegal means. He had been paid for this service and he had presented no evidence to the contrary.

Borg had also facilitated the operation by renting the van used to transport the foreigners, and eventually driving them to a drop-off point, although he was then intercepted by police.

He denied involvement, but the court found his explanation of finding the key to the van on the ground difficult to believe.

The prosecution’s claim that he was assisting for monetary gain was therefore proven.

Witnesses also told the court that Montebello had suggested she could make arrangements for them to leave Malta without a visa and this was corroborated because these same people were found in the van driven by Borg on the night they were caught.

Borg was also found guilty of relapsing in view of previous convictions, although Montebello was acquitted of a similar charge.

Passing judgement, the court noted that the accused had failed to cooperate with the police and also took into consideration the fact that there was a large number of people waiting in the van to be taken aboard illegally.

Presiding magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera also said that although it has not been long since the laws on human trafficking were introduced in Malta, the punishment for these crimes must still be harsh, especially considering the situation the country is currently in.

She therefore thought it appropriate for these jail terms to be considered as a message to deter people from committing similar crimes.

Inspectors Sandro Zarb and Denise Mula prosecuted.