Nigerian's attempt to use forged passport foiled

A court has handed a suspended sentence to a Nigerian man who admitting to tampering with his passport in order to leave Malta.

The man, 28-year-old Christian Ezike, was arraigned before Magistrate Monica Vella by Police Inspector Victor Aquilina and charged with forging official travel documents. Ezike had been arrested at the airport on Saturday.

Lawyer Leontine Calleja, appearing as legal aid to Ezike, entered a guilty plea on behalf of the accused.

The court handed the man a two-year prison sentence, suspended for three years.