REPATRIATE ME TO AUSTRIA NOT GHANA-NAA AYELEY AMETEPE

Nayele Ametefe, the Ghanaian – Austrian
woman in the centre of the cocaine saga before
her sentence Tuesday morning pleaded with the
court to repatriate her to Austria and not
Ghana.
According to her, being repatriated to Austria
after serving her sentence would ensure her
security because of the high level of public
interest in the case.
She was sentenced to 8years and 8months in
prison by the Isleworth Crown Court in
Middlesex, London in the United Kingdom on
Tuesday morning.
Our correspondent at the court, Nana Sifa Twum
reported that prior to pronouncing judgment,
the presiding judge, Judge Edmonds, QC,
observed that the crime warranted 13 years of
sentence but he was considering all the
mitigating factors the defense solicitor put in
and that the 8years 8months was enough by way
of leniency.
Both the judge and the defense lawyer
acknowledged the high public interest in the
case and even decided to change the hearing
time from 14:00 hours to 11.30 UK time and also
regulated entry to the courtroom by issuing
tickets to a few people.
Nayele’s plea was not changed from guilty to not
guilty, as was earlier speculated in the media,
Nana Sifa Twum reported.
The judge added that upon the exhibition of
“good behaviors” Nayele’s sentence could be
slashed by half.
Days spent on remand will also be deducted
from the entire sentence period.
It was also confirmed at the court that the
actual weight of the substance was 12kilos and
not 12.5 as was previously reported with the
street value of £1.8 million.
Judge Edmonds also considered the fact that
Nayele was not tracked but rather caught red
handed and has also exhibited remorse and
admitted committing the crime.
He also considered the fact that Nayele has
completely lost all that she was going to gain in
the trip.
The court also set July 6, 2015 to decide on the
US$23,000 and £6000 found on her at the time
of her arrest at the Heathrow Airport.
Her defense lawyer James Scobine who was
brought in to replace Dexter Henry put up strong
mitigating points to influence the judgment.
He narrated to the court that Nayele was a
victim of a broken home at the early ages of her
life and therefore entered into an early
marriage at the age of 16 for 10years with an
Abossey Okai businessman.
He said Nayele has gone through extreme
difficult times and currently has three children,
of 16, 13 and 11 years respectively.
He said since the husband was rich she also lived
a lavished life.
With this lifestyle, Mr. Scobine told the court,
that Nayele was currently dating two highly
profiled Ghanaians whose names he did not
disclose to the court.
He said a 50-year-old woman hired his client
for US$23,000 and a bonus of £6000 for the
transaction of which she was arrested.
He therefore pleaded with the court to have
mercy on her adding that her (Nayele) illiterate
mother in whose care the three children will be
when she was jailed in the UK would have
difficulties taking care of them.
He therefore prayed the court to put the lives of
the children into consideration.

Source:graphic.com.gh