An Apapa Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday sentenced four stowaways to 10 hours of community service for attempting to travel to Europe without relevant documents.
The convicts are to serve the sentence within the court premises.
The convicted stowaways were identified as Freedom Chinemerem, 21, Olu Isaac, 23, Taiwo Ajose, 34 and Edward Brown, 22.
They were arraigned before the court last week for hiding in a ship with the intent of embarking illegally on the trip.
During the fact of the case, they all pleaded guilty to the three-count charge brought against them.
The prosecutor, Sergeant Alexander Esebamen had told the court that the accused committed the offences on November 1, 2017 at about 1am at Greenview Development Terminal Jetty, Apapa Port Complex, Apapa.
Esebamen said the accused unlawfully entered Apapa Port without port pass.
He added that they unlawfully entered a ship named “MV Maritime Sinchai” and concealed themselves from the Captain and crew members with the intent to travel to Europe without international passport, visa and other traveling documents.
According to him, the offences contravened Sections 406, 398(a)(b) and 398 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.