Ruby Adu-Gyamfi aka Nayele Ametefe after her release from prison
Ruby Adu-Gyamfi, aka Nayele Ametefe, has been released from a UK jail on parole after serving three years of her eight-and-half year jail term.
The Ghanaian lady, who has Austrian citizenship, was sentenced to eight-and-half years’ imprisonment in 2015 after she was arrested at London Heathrow Airport for attempting to transport 12.5 kilogrammes of cocaine to the UK.
She pleaded guilty to the charges and was subsequently convicted on her own plea.
She was released on parole a couple of days ago after she had reportedly exhibited good behaviour in prison.
Sources close to the cocaine dealer indicated that she renounced her Ghanaian citizenship the minute she stepped out of jail and moved to Austria to settle.
Ruby, who appears to be enjoying her freedom, has already taken to social media to share some flashy pictures of herself.
Sentencing
Nayele was arrested on November 10, 2014 at the Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom by officers of the UK Border Force with 12.5 kg of cocaine worth $5 million.
She was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment by the Isleworth Crown Court in London on January 6, 2015.
The prosecution, at the time, told the court that Ruby was carting the cocaine to South America and her travel itinerary indicated that she would leave the UK two days after her arrival for the Dominican Republic.
Her lawyer told the court that Ruby came from an under privileged home and was married to a spare parts dealer at Abossey Okai in Accra, but her life changed when she met some very powerful people in 2014.
Ruby herself told the court that she enjoyed protection from some powerful people in authority but failed to reveal the identities of those individuals.
No Case
In Ghana, Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong, the immediate-past Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Justice, through Ms. Penelope Ann Mammatta, a chief state attorney, dragged six people in connection with the smuggling of the cocaine from Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to court.
But the AG later filed nolle prosequi to drop the charges against six other suspects, who were arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Justice Francis Obiri, for their alleged complicity in the Ruby cocaine case.
The application, dated February 20, 2015 and signed by the AG, stated in part that “take notice that the state intends that the proceedings against the accused persons in the above-named case shall not continue.”
Confiscation
Following her conviction, an Accra High Court ordered the seizure of her property.
The court, presided over by Justice Georgina Mensah-Datsa, was convinced that the property which were a subject of litigation, belong to Ruby.
Madam Adubofour, mother of the convict, sued the state, claiming ownership of the two-storey buildings.
The state filed a motion on notice for the confiscation of the purported illegal property estimated at $1.8 million.
Proceeds from the sale of the said facilities were to be shared as follows: 50 per cent to the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), 20 per cent to the Economic and Organized Crimes Office (EOCO), 15 per cent into the Consolidated Fund and another 15 per cent to the Judicial Service.
Appeal
Her mother appealed against the decision of the High Court to confiscate assets of her daughter.
According to her lawyers, the court erred in granting the request by the applicants – NACOB and EOCO-to confiscate the property.
By Gibril Abdul Razak