TWO BRITISH GIRLS TO BE SENTENCED NEXT YEAR

Story: Stephen Sah
ANXIOUS local and foreign journalists and many people who thronged the Juvenile Court premises in Accra to hear the sentence of the two British juveniles found in possession of six kilogrammes of cocaine were disappointed because the sentence was deferred.
According to a court source, the sentence of the two girls had been deferred until January 9, 2008 to await a social services report considered crucial to assist the court in delivering the sentence.
On November 21, 2007, the court found the two guilty of conspiracy and possessing narcotic drugs without lawful authority.
It, however, deferred their sentence to yesterday to await the report which is expected to give a profile and background on the juveniles from the British authorities.
Very early in the morning, journalists, especially photographers, positioned themselves at vantage areas in anticipation of catching a glimpse of the girls who have been kept away from the prying lenses of the cameras.
A vehicle believed to be conveying the girls later arrived and reversed to the frontage of a back door followed by photographers.
At the last sitting of the court, lawyers of the girls declared their intention to appeal against the convictions.
The trial of the girls was heard in camera because the law did not permit cases involving juveniles to be heard in open court but that did not take away its intense public attention.
In all, seven prosecution witnesses and one defence witness were said to have testified in the trial, which lasted about four months.
The girls pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiracy and possession of narcotic drugs without lawful authority and maintained that they were lured into Ghana by two men who left them to their fate.
They were arrested at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) by officials of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) on July 2, 2007.
Each had in her possession three kilogrammes of cocaine hidden in her laptop bag.