Libyan teacher admits to part in residence permit fraud

A Libyan teacher has been handed a suspended sentence admitting to having supplied falsified documentation to Libyans who were trying to illegally obtain Maltese residence permits.

39 year-old Mosta resident Sami Shebni Ashor appeared before Magistrate Gabriella Vella charged with making false declarations and using forged documents between January and August in an attempt to help some of his countrymen to obtain residence permits issued by Identity Malta.

Ashor’s actions had been discovered during investigations into suspected irregularities in the issuing of residency permits to Libyans by Identity Malta, the same investigation which led to charges being pressed against accountant and auditor Joe Sammut.

Sammut, a former Labour Party treasurer and political candidate is accused of helping Libyans obtain Maltese residency permits by setting up fake companies using forged documents. Sammut is also charged with misappropriation and non-observance of professional due diligence requirements. He is denying all charges.

Today, the court was told how Ashor was arrested on September 28th, following police investigations into the residence permit racket at Identity Malta.

Police Inspectors Rennie Stivala and Yvonne Farrugia, prosecuting, alleged that the accused had falsified bank documents and paperwork related to language schools, amongst others.

Defence lawyer Arthur Azzopardi entered a guilty plea on behalf of his client, who he said, was promising to continue assisting the police with their ongoing investigations.

Azzopardi informed the court that the prosecution and defence suggested a two-year jail term suspended for four years, which, he said was congruent with recent sentences for the similar crimes. 

The court accepted the suggestion and sentenced the man to two years imprisonment, suspended for four.