British girls' Ghana drug sentence delayed: diplomat
ACCRA (AFP) — The sentencing of the two British girls found guilty in November of cocaine smuggling in Ghana has been postponed to January 23, a diplomat said Wednesday.
The two 16-year-olds, who were arrested by Ghanaian police in July 2007 carrying 6.5 kilos (14 pounds) of cocaine, face up to 10 years in prison.
The diplomat said the adjournment was aimed at giving the Ghanaian authorities longer to study reports on the girls drawn up by the British social services.
Sentencing had initially been scheduled for December 5, 2007. Wednesday's is the second postponement.
All the hearings in the case have been conducted behind closed doors because the girls are both minors.
They were stopped with 300,000 pounds (443,000 euros, 610,000 dollars) worth of cocaine at Accra Airport on July 2, 2007 during a joint Ghanaian-British narcotics operation, British officials have said.
They had entered the country in late June and been due to board a British Airways flight back to London when they were arrested.
