ARGENTINA: Colombian model Angie Sanclemente Valencia, accused of trafficking cocaine, gives her statement to a judge over drug charges

Record ID: 317788

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Colombian model Angie Sanclemente Valencia, accused of trafficking cocaine, gives her statement to a judge over drug charges
  • Date: 28th May 2010
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (MAY 26, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF HOSTEL WHERE VALENCIA WAS LIVING; JOURNALISTS OUTSIDE
  • Embargoed: 12th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Reuters ID: LVA39CSQ9EP66YE5NOZ6YPVSL2YJ
  • Story Text: An alleged Colombian cocaine queen testified before an Argentina judge on Thursday (May 27).
    Local news reports said Angie Sanclemente Valencia spent over an hour with Judge Rafael Caputo of the Retiro Justice Court.
    In Argentina, judges collect statements and investigate cases to decide whether they warrant a trial or not.
    Valencia's lawyer said the people who had accused her of drug trafficking were convicted criminals trying to strike a deal to reduce their sentences by incriminating the former Colombian model.
    "Miss Sanclemente Valencia will give her version of the facts and it is very probable that two face-to-face hearings [with the judge] will be the result [of the statement] because the version offered by Miss Sanclemente Valencia will be completely contradictory to the two versions from two persons who are seriously involved in this multi-layered case and who have declared [against Valencia] in order to benefit from Article 29 of the Drugs Law, which establishes that whichever person who is involved in is these types of crimes can reduce their sentences by incriminating third parties. The aim is to benefit from this rule, which means they could get out of jail," lawyer Guillermo Tiscornia said.
    Valencia was arrested on Wednesday in a Buenos Aires youth hostel.
    She is suspected of leading a band of young women who smuggled cocaine from Argentina to Europe.
    The 31-year-old had been in hiding from police for months.
    Her mother said she is innocent, and fled from arrest because she feared she would be abused in jail.
    "She has the right to be considered innocent until proven otherwise. (Journalist saying: Is she involved in drug trafficking?) She doesn't have anything to do with it. (Journalist saying: Why was she hiding?) Because she was scared that in jail they will cut her face and attack her physically or sexually. (Journalist saying: So she assumed that she could go to jail?) Of course, because she faces a serious accusation, she is accused by the judge. And so she scared," Valencia's mother Yaneth Valencia said.
    Authorities say Valencia employed young, attractive women who reportedly often travelled first class to smuggle the drugs.
    The ex-model and actress won one of Colombia's top beauty pageants in 2000 but was later dethroned after it was revealed she had lied about being single.
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