Two British women facing the grim prospect of years in a Brazilian prison have offered a defence so bizarre it has stunned authorities. Melissa Reid from Scotland and Chelsea Welsh from Merseyside were arrested at São Paulo's Viracopos International Airport with a staggering 37kg of cocaine hidden in their luggage.
Their defence? They claim they were the hypnotised victims of a powerful Nigerian witch doctor who placed them under a spell after kidnapping them.
A Desperate Tale of Kidnap and Sorcery
According to their lawyers, the pair were kidnapped in Nigeria and subjected to powerful voodoo rituals that placed them in a trance-like state. They allege they were then forced to board a flight to Brazil, completely unaware they were acting as drug mules.
This extraordinary claim is their last-ditch effort to avoid conviction for drug trafficking—a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in a Brazilian penitentiary.
The Damning Evidence
Authorities remain highly sceptical. The case against them appears overwhelming. Security footage shows the women calmly checking in for their flight and navigating the airport, behaviour inconsistent with someone under duress or in a trance.
Furthermore, the drugs were meticulously concealed within false compartments in their suitcases, suggesting a level of planning and awareness.
A Pattern of Outlandish Excuses
This is not the first time drug smugglers have tried supernatural excuses in court. However, the 'witch doctor' defence highlights the extreme lengths to which individuals will go when confronted with the terrifying reality of foreign justice systems.
Their trial continues, with the court now tasked with untangling this web of fact from alleged fiction. Their fate now hinges on a judge believing a story that seems ripped from a Hollywood thriller.
