A Libyan was yesterday arraigned after a fishing boat intercepted by the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) led the police to suspect that he was assisting five Egyptians leave Malta illegally.
Abdul Salem Mohamed Ab Xlifa Selwa, 30, of Libyan nationality was accused with human trafficking and for association with criminal intent. He pleaded not guilty to the accusations and he was kept under preventive arrest at the Corradino Correctional Facility.
At about 5:45am yesterday, a patrol boat noted a Libyan trawler with six people on board half a nautical mile off Marsaxlokk. When the patrol boat approached the fishing vessel, one of the men started waving a piece of cloth and then jumped overboard.
The AFM retrieved the man from the sea and the five men on board were escorted to Wied il-Buni in Birżebbuġa where the men and their vessel were handed over to the police, the AFM said.
The five Egyptians, Hamed Hamis Nader, Nema Hamis Badux, Mohamed Ubusaneb, Subhi Atija Ranem Junis and Mohamed Al Fithjani were accused of illegal entry into Malta without a passport or permit. They admitted to the accusations and were sentenced to one month’s imprisonment.
The prosecution was led by Inspector Nezren Grixti.