Punishment of stowaway

(1) Every stowaway commits an offence and may be landed with the permission of the Director for the purpose of being prosecuted and, in addition to any other penalties imposed by this Act, shall be liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months. 50 (2) A stowaway not belonging to Belize may be deported therefrom upon the order of the convicting magistrate at the expense of the master or owner of the vessel by which he was brought to Belize, and the imprisonment under sub-section (1) of this section shall cease for the purpose of carrying out that (3) The detention of a stowaway shall not be deemed to be illegal if such detention is no longer than is reasonably necessary for the purpose of handing him over to a police officer. (4) Any police officer may apprehend a stowaway without a warrant for the purpose of taking him before a magistrate. (5) When a person is charged before any court as being a stowaway, the onus shall be upon that person to prove the consent of the owner, charterer, consignee or master of the vessel or other person entitled to give consent to his obtaining a passage upon the vessel.