Nayele Ametefeh, the woman arrested and charged with attempting to smuggle cocaine into the United Kingdom is set to appear before a London court for an expected sentencing at 2pm on Tuesday.
Nayele pleaded guilty to all charges filed against her in November when she appeared before the court via video link.
But in a latest twist the unfolding development, lawyer and a former senior Crown Prosecutor in the United Kingdom (UK), Godwin Adjei-Gyamfi has disclosed that Nayale will appear in court with a new counsel.
The court adjourned sentencing to January 5 due to the ongoing forensic analysis of the substance the defendant was carrying.
According to prosecution, led by Ravinder John, Ms. Ametefeh would get a minimum of 10 years and if the substance is in excess of 10kg she will get more.
During the hearing, the prosecutor had revealed that Ms. Ametefeh told border patrol officers she was in the country (UK) “for shopping.”
Prosecutor Ravinder John also said that the woman was born in Ghana and lived in Austria but has also lived in Ghana for a period of time.
Nayele’s arrest and subsequent trial have generated shockwaves in Ghana, resulting in the arrests of about 12 people and the dissolotion of the governing board of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB).
The Cocaine Saga: Story so far
[contextly_sidebar id=”uOvoHcJodeVYvQxnEAATq0Jc9ZV27wuq”]November 16, 2014: News broke of Nayele Ametefeh arrest at London’s Heathrow airport in November for cocaine possession.
November 17, 2014: Government denies claim that Nayele was carrying a diplomatic passport when she was arrested.
November 17, 2014: Managing Director of Citi FM, who broke the story, Samuel Attah-Mensah, invited for questioning by BNI.
November 22, 2014: President John Mahama dissolves the governing board of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB).
November 23, 2014: Nine people arrested in connection with cocaine bust.
November 24, 2015: Director at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abiel Ashitey Armah, arrested.
November 25, 2014: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hannah Tetteh reveals that Nayele thought she was carrying gold in her hand luggage rather than cocaine.
November 27, 2014: Nayele pleads guilty to all the charges leveled against her in a court in London.
November 30, 2014: Two female accomplices of Nayele were remanded in police custody by the Accra Circuit Court for allegedly conspiring with the suspect.
December 2, 2014: Alhaji Mohammed Alamid Dawood, was arrested for allegedly aiding Nayele Ametefe and her two friends to use the VIP lounge of the Kotoka International Airport(KIA) in Accra, to transport cocaine.
December 8, 2014: A Ghanaian Times Reporter, Edem Mensah was physically assaulted by family members and friends of Nayele’s accomplices in court.
By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana