The woman at the center of the 12 kilogram cocaine bust in the UK will on Thursday appear in court for the second time after her arrest.
[contextly_sidebar id=”FgvlBRJ7lAF7DFnBVejyjw2hZffTrcSE”]Ruby Appiah, alias Nayele Ametefeh was arrested on November 10 at the Heathrow Airport after attempting to enter the UK with the cocaine in her hand luggage.
She was subsequently charged with Class A drug trafficking and was arraigned before the Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday November 11 and remanded in prison custody.
Today, she will appear before an Isleworth Crown Court where her trial will begin.
Citifmonline.com has gathered that Ms Ametefe who is on remand in custody at Her Majesty’s Prison Bronzefied will not be produced in person but via a video link from the prison.
For this quantity of drugs on a contested trial, she could face at least 15 years in imprisonment.
However a guilt plea at the earliest opportunity could reduce the jail term to about 10 years.
Ms Ametefe’s case, T20141080 will be presided over by His Honour Judge Edmunds QC, in court number 5 at 2pm.
Meanwhile, a total of 12 people have been arrested in Ghana in connection with the case.
They include the two ladies; Nana Akua Amponsah and Sadalia Sandra Nuhu who reportedly traveled with Nayele but absconded after the latter was nabbed by the Police in the UK.
Also, three public officials have been charged with abetment of crime; exportation of narcotic drugs, contrary to sections 56 (c) and 1 (1) of the Narcotic Drugs (Control, Enforcement and Sanctions) Act, 1990 (PNDC law 236).
They are a Deputy Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abiel Ashitey Armah, Theophilus Kissi of the Research Department attached to the VVIP Lounge at the Kotoka International Airport and Abubakar Ahmed, a civil servant.
They have been remanded in prison custody and are to reappear in court on December 11.
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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