Five migrants were sentenced to 84 months in jail between them after they were found guilty of taking part in a riot at the Safi detention centre.

Seven migrants had been charged with the offences, which took place on 18 September, 2020. Two of them, both minors, were found not guilty.

The five men who were found guilty were Ali Abdul Razak, a Sudanese aged 23, Abrihema Gitmay Mengisteab, aged 22 from Eritrea, Abdulrahman Abdulla Hamja, aged 20 from Somalia, Giddu Mahiok, aged 20 from Somalia and Abraham Hinstab, aged 37 of Eritrea.

Razak and Mengisteab were also charged with causing grievous injuries to a police sergeant and inspector, and slight injuries to two other constables.

Evidence provided in court showed that the men dug a hole in the wall of a dormitory and escaped.

Pepper spray was used by police and rubber bullets were also used in an attempt to curb the escape. Some migrants threw heavy objects in the direction of the police and also set fire to some mattresses.

Magistrate Marseann Farrugia sentenced Razak to 30 months in jail, Megiesteab to 18 months, while the other three will serve 12 months in prison.

Mengisteab was also fined €4,000.

Inspector Janetta Grixti led the prosecution.