A footballer travelling to Malta to join a local club ended under preventive custody after immigration police suspected that his Greek residence permit had been tampered with. 
 
Nigerian-born Chibueze Attah, 22, living in Greece and holding a Greek passport, landed on the wrong side of the law when he arrived at the Malta International Airport on Monday from Munich. 
 
Immigration authorities sensed that the expiry date on his residence permit had been tampered with and the passenger was therefore stopped. 
 
That suspicion was subsequently confirmed following forensic checks and the passenger was arrested, prosecuting Inspector Christian Abela told the court when the footballer was arraigned on Tuesday. 
 
He pleaded not guilty to forging, altering or tampering with personal documents as well as possessing and using such forged documents. 
 
His lawyers requested bail which, however, was objected to by the prosecution primarily in view of the risk of absconding. 
 
Defence lawyers Lennox Vella and Charlton Falzon Cascun pointed out that over and above the presumption of innocence, the accused had travelled to Malta to play football and if granted bail, would be under close supervision by his club. 
 
Moreover, personal freedom was the rule rather than the exception, they argued, further underlining the accused’s young age. 
 
However, after hearing submissions by both parties the court, presided over by magistrate Gabriella Vella, turned down the request for bail in view of the fact that it was not convinced of the accused’s ties in Malta.