An Accra Circuit Tribunal has imposed a total fine of 600,000 cedis on two stowaways, who sneaked on board a vessel bound for Cote d'Ivoire.

Daniel Boakye, 22, and Emmanuel Kwabena, 20, both cobblers, pleaded guilty to stowing away and was each fined 300,000 cedis. In default, each will serve a prison term of three months with hard labour. Police Chief Inspector Edward Antwi told the tribunal chaired by Mrs Elizabeth Anderson Yebuah that the accused persons are Ghanaians, who travelled to the Republic of Congo as shoe menders in 1998. He said on February 15, Boakye and Kwabena went to the port of Congo where they found that a vessel, "M/V TOM AFRICA", had docked to discharge goods.

Chief Inspector Antwi said after the consignments had been discharged and the vessel was about to sail, the accused persons sneaked on board. According to the prosecutor, on the high sea, Boakye and Kwabena, who could not withstand the heat in their stowage surrendered to the Captain, who detained them. Chief Inspector Antwi said when the vessel berthed at the port of Abidjan, Boakye and Kwabena were handed over to the immigration authorities, who repatriated them to Ghana.