Two migrants who set fire to several tents in the Ħal Safi detention centre have been sentenced to four years in prison and fined €8,691 each.

Egyptians Guma Mohammed, aged 30, and Yousef Halef Abdel Hamid, aged 26, were two of 11 people arrested last December for setting fire to tents at the centre with the possibility of immigrants being inside.

Magistrate Joe Mifsud stated that the men’s extraordinary situation didn’t exempt them from public order and their behaviour cast “an ugly shadow” on other asylum-seekers.

The men were charged with causing damage to State property, participating in an illegal riot, ignoring police orders and breaching the peace.

Despite denying these charges, Magistrate Mifsud found them guilty and sentenced them to four years in prison and fined them €8,691 each.

He also urged relevant authorities to deport the men back to Egypt once their sentence was over.

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