A Libyan man was seriously injured yesterday when he jumped off a roof as police officers were chasing him and another Libyan man who, the police subsequently discovered, were in Malta illegally.

In a statement, the police said they were informed about two men behaving suspiciously in Old College Street in Sliema. They went to the scene and saw the two men who, as soon as they saw the police, climbed on to a roof. As the police chased the men from one roof to another, one of the two Libyans jumped a height of more than two storeys.

The men were arrested and held for further investigations which have already revealed that they were in Malta without the necessary permits and therefore illegally.

The injured man was taken to St Luke's Hospital where he was held for treatment. Both men are being held under arrest and are expected to be charged in court in the coming days.

Police investigations are still under way.