Statement of the families of Yasemin Vatansever and Yetunde Diya on the verdicts delivered in Ghana

November 21 2007

We are deeply disappointed at the verdicts delivered this morning. Yasemin and Yetunde are two extremely vulnerable young girls whose naivety was ruthlessly exploited by the men who lured them to Ghana and left them to this terrible fate.

Contrary to misleading reports, based on inaccurate leaks from the prosecuting authorities, neither girl had any knowledge of drug smuggling activities. This was made clear in evidence to the court.

While drugs smuggling is clearly a problem which the Ghanaian authorities wish to prevent, our daughters are not the criminal masterminds which the prosecuting authorities have attempt to portray them as being.

This case was never as clear-cut as media reports suggested. The court heard how evidence had been tampered with and destroyed and how the girls were denied access to a lawyer while being interrogated upon their arrest. The defence presented evidence to show how the girls had been lured to Ghana on false pretences, and to show they had never agreed to participate in illegal drug trafficking, and indeed had no knowledge of the real purpose of their trip.  

We will be appealing this verdict.

We would like to thank our lawyers in Ghana, the British High Commission, Fair Trials International and Joe Stone from Doughty Street Chambers for their assistance and support during this difficult time.

We will not be giving any further interviews and neither will our daughters. We ask that the media respects our privacy at this difficult time.

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For further information, contact Sabine Zanker on: 0044 (0)7762923519 or 0044 (0) 20 7762 6400