ACCRA (AFP) - Two British teenage girls arrested by Ghanaian police in June carrying several kilos (pounds) of cocaine were found guilty of drug trafficking Wednesday, a British diplomat said after the verdict.
The sentences would be announced on December 5, said embassy spokesman Gary Nicholls. The two 16-year-olds could face up to 10 years in prison.
The families of the two girls said they were disappointed at the verdict, which was handed down in a hearing held behind closed doors. In a statement they said they planned to appeal.
The girls were discovered with 300,000 pounds (443,000 euros, 610,000 dollars) worth of cocaine at Accra Airport on July 2 during a joint Ghanaian-British narcotics operation, British officials have said.
They had been due to board a British Airways flight to London and were in possession of 6.5 kilos (14 pounds) of cocaine.
One of the students, whose names have not been released, has told British television they were set up by "two boys over here who gave us two bags" to deliver to another male at the airport in London.
"It was basically like a set-up. They didn't tell us nothing, we didn't think nothing ... basically we are innocent. We don't know nothing about this drugs and stuff, we don't know nothing," the girl said.
Ghanaian officials have said the girls claimed that a Ghanaian in Britain called Jay paid for their airfares and told them to meet two people at the airport.
Mark Ewuntomah of Ghana's Narcotics Control Board said last week that Jay promised them 3,000 dollars each to bring him two laptop bags.
The cocaine was discovered concealed in false compartments in the laptop bags, he said.
Police are still looking for two other people wanted in connection with the drugs haul.
The sentences would be announced on December 5, said embassy spokesman Gary Nicholls. The two 16-year-olds could face up to 10 years in prison.
The families of the two girls said they were disappointed at the verdict, which was handed down in a hearing held behind closed doors. In a statement they said they planned to appeal.
The girls were discovered with 300,000 pounds (443,000 euros, 610,000 dollars) worth of cocaine at Accra Airport on July 2 during a joint Ghanaian-British narcotics operation, British officials have said.
They had been due to board a British Airways flight to London and were in possession of 6.5 kilos (14 pounds) of cocaine.
One of the students, whose names have not been released, has told British television they were set up by "two boys over here who gave us two bags" to deliver to another male at the airport in London.
"It was basically like a set-up. They didn't tell us nothing, we didn't think nothing ... basically we are innocent. We don't know nothing about this drugs and stuff, we don't know nothing," the girl said.
Ghanaian officials have said the girls claimed that a Ghanaian in Britain called Jay paid for their airfares and told them to meet two people at the airport.
Mark Ewuntomah of Ghana's Narcotics Control Board said last week that Jay promised them 3,000 dollars each to bring him two laptop bags.
The cocaine was discovered concealed in false compartments in the laptop bags, he said.
Police are still looking for two other people wanted in connection with the drugs haul.
