A 38-year-old Ghanaian migrant in Italy has made headlines after being caught disguising himself as one of the Three Wise Men from the Bible in a Christmas nativity display.

According to reports sighted by GhanaWeb, the Ghanaian, who is believed to be in Italy illegally, was on the run from police authorities following a conviction for assault and resisting arrest, and was evading capture.

Reports indicate that the Ghanaian had been sentenced to nine months and 15 days in prison by a court in Bologna.

He, however, managed to evade the authorities and eventually ended up in the small town of Galatone, in the southern region of Puglia, where he tried to trick officers into thinking he was part of a life-size nativity scene.

The Ghanaian’s disguise was, however, blown when the town's mayor, Flavio Filoni, walked past and noticed part of the nativity display moving, only to discover that it was the wanted migrant.

He was found standing amid hay bales, to the right of the crib, with his arms raised as if pretending to be a statue.

Sharing the incident in a Facebook post on December 10, 2025, Flavio Filoni said that he had initially mistaken the fugitive for part of the nativity display.

“What happened Saturday morning deserves deep reflection. While standing in front of the Nativity carefully made by our Pro Loco, I noticed a presence I had initially mistaken for part of the scene. A detail that seemed harmless, but turned out to be decisive,” he shared.

The town’s mayor also thanked the security agencies for tracking down the Ghanaian, who had evaded police capture.

“Thanks to the quick intervention of our Local Police, State Police and Carabinieri, it was possible to track down and identify a person who was barking and wanted. A result that confirms, once again, how fundamental it is to place full confidence in the day-to-day work of those who guarantee safety and legality. A sincere thank you to all the women and men who guard our territory with competence, attention and dedication.

“A big thank you to the Nardó police station, to Dr Tornese and his men who, together with the men of the Local Police, solved the case. Galatone is a community that observes, collaborates and cares: this is how you build security, together,” he added.

Meanwhile, the illegal Ghanaian migrant has been re-arrested and remanded in custody at a prison in the nearby city of Lecce, reports said.

Read the mayor's post below:



MAG/AE

Watch how Abu Trica fumbled on a simple question during his arrest