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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 20 July 2007

Glimmer of hope for girls held in Ghana after drugs 'set up'

THERE was a glimmer of hope last night (Thursday) from the legal team representing two Islington schoolgirls held in Ghana on suspicion of trafficking £300,000 of cocaine.
Sabine Zanker, from the London-based charity Fair Trials Abroad, said that she was aware that the Ghananese authorities are “very careful” about the rights of juveniles under 18 and the girl’s vulnerability will be taken into consideration.
The hearing into Yetunde Diya and Yasemin Vatansever, both 16, who have completed GCSEs at Islington Arts and Media School, Finsbury Park, is expected to be resumed next Thursday.
Best friends Yasemin and Yetunde were arrested at Kotoka airport in Ghana’s capital city Accra on July 2.
The girls claimed that they were tricked by two boys into carrying two bags to take back to the UK in what they say was a “set up”.
Ms Zanker added: “Even if they are found guilty – and that’s a very big questionmark – they shouldn’t get more than three years.
“However, prison will not be very pleasant and there is little chance of extradition back to the UK.”

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