An Apapa Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday sentenced two stowaways namely Kelvin Iwessey (27) to one month imprisonment and Mohammed Ayepe (18) to 60 hours of community service for pleading guilty to the charges against them.
It would be recalled that Iwessey and Ayepe were on Thursday arraigned by the Nigeria Police Force attached to the Ports Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (CIID) before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court for allegedly entering vessel without purchasing traveling ticket at Apapa Port Complex, Lagos.
The port police prosecutor, Alexander Esebamen had told the court that the defendants committed the offences on June 11, 2018 at about 4am at Apapa Port Complex.
“The defendants conspired together to unlawfully enter MV CMA CGM TOPEZ Vessel without purchasing traveling ticket, with the intention of traveling to Europe,” Esebamen said.
According to him, the offences are punishable under sections 412 and 400 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.
The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges against them.
After the facts of the case, the Magistrate O. M. Ajayi sentenced the two stowaways to one month imprisonment and 60 hours of community service.