British schoolgirls imprisoned in Ghana to come home, but perpetrators still at large

July 15 2008

The legal charity representing the two British schoolgirls imprisoned in Ghana has called on authorities to maintain efforts to bring to justice the men who lured them to Ghana. 

The two girls, now aged 17, were convicted in January 2008 of attempting to traffic cocaine from Ghana to London in July 2007. They have spent a year in custody, and the latest information is that they will be released on Thursday 17 July and expect to return home to the UK by the end of the month.

Speaking ahead of the girls’ release, Fair Trials International Chief Executive Catherine Wolthuizen admonished authorities for not having caught the real masterminds behind the operation:

“The girls have served their full sentences, but the men who groomed them and lured them to Ghana remain free to target other vulnerable young women. These men are known to the authorities but have never been prosecuted.

“The girls’ experience sends an important warning to young people, but the best protection against further cases of this nature is for the authorities to focus efforts on catching the big fish, not the small fry.

Fair Trials International, the charity at the forefront of a campaign for fair treatment for the girls (who were only 16 at the time of their arrest), worked closely with Ghanaian lawyers to secure a fair trial and a sentence reflecting their particular vulnerability, their lack of any previous criminal record, their youth and their status as pawns in a larger operation.

The charity today expressed relief that the girls will now be coming home.

"We are pleased the girls will be back with their families soon. We hope they will now be able to put this experience behind them and resume their normal lives away from the glare of publicity,” concluded Ms Wolthuizen.

Please note that neither of the girls (both of whom are still children & are under 18) will be giving interviews nor will the taking or publication of photographs of them be authorised. Their mothers and the girls themselves ask that you allow them to start their lives afresh in this country and that you refrain from any unauthorised intrusion. Fair Trials International endorses that request and also asks that you respect the girls' right to a private and family life. As we are sure you appreciate, the adverse effect on the girls of any such breach of privacy would be significant. Any breaches by the press in this regard will not be tolerated and, if necessary, legal action will be taken immediately to preserve privacy.

To arrange comment, contact Fair Trials International on 020 7762 6400