Accused Australian drug smuggler Cassie Sainsbury has reportedly been told that unless she tells Colombian authorities who supplied the 5.8kg of cocaine found in her luggage, she could face up to 30 years behind bars.
The Advertiser reports that prosecutors will veto any plea bargain unless the 22-year-old agrees to provide the identities of those she allegedly worked for. It’s believed that if she does supply those details, she could spend as little as four years in prison.
It is also believed that if she does accept such a deal, she will be placed in a witness protection program. From what we know about Colombian drug cartels, that would be a fairly good call.
Sainsbury has maintained her innocence since her arrest in the Colombian capital Bogota on April 11, claiming that the drugs were stashed without her knowledge in headphones she was taking home as gifts.
She’ll face another pre-trial hearing this week. We’ll keep you posted on that one.
Source: News.com.au / The Age.
Photo: Colombian Police.
