Two migrants who escaped from detention just a week after arriving in Malta have been jailed.

Jamal Momen, 21 and Yousef Busenah, 22, both from Morocco, had reached Maltese shores barely a week ago. The pair had escaped from the Safi Detention Centre on Monday at around 2pm and were found and arrested after spending around 24 hours on the run.

Assisted by an Arabic-speaking interpreter, the two accused pleaded guilty to a single charge of escaping from custody.

Duty magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo gave the men time to reconsider their admission of guilt but they reiterated their guilty plea.

In view of this Momen and Busenah were sentenced to imprisonment for 6 months.

Inspector Roderick Attard prosecuted.

Lawyer Noel Bartolo was legal aid counsel.