Three men, who tried to travel out of Malta on Friday using personal documents belonging to third parties, were jailed upon their arraignment on Saturday.

Mali nationals Bourama Toumkara, 19 and Sacko Baukader, 21, along with 22-year old Ahmed Mohamed Montaser from Sudan, faced separate arraignments after being arrested at the airport on Friday.

Prosecuting Inspector Frankie Sammut explained that the migrants were apparently facing difficulties to secure a job in Malta and were desperate to leave the island.

Yet, they first had to undergo the asylum process and were to wait for the relative documents, even if there was some delay in obtaining them, the inspector said.

All three men registered a guilty plea, confirming their admission even after being given time to reconsider and warned of the punishment applicable in terms of law.

Defence lawyer Anne Marie Cutajar argued that, although the charges were straightforward, the accused had not acted capriciously, wanting to find employment elsewhere.

Upon such admission and submissions, the court, presided over by magistrate Charmaine Galea, condemned Toumkara and Montaser to a 12-month jail term each.

Baukader was handed an 18-month jail term in view of the fact that he was a recidivist, having stepped out of prison in January after serving a 7-month jail term for a similar offence.