Laura Plummer, the British woman who was jailed in Egypt last month for three years for attempting to smuggle hundreds of painkillers into the country looks set to be pardoned by president El Sisi.
According to The Sun, the 33-year-old is likely to be freed over the weekend after a month in Al Qanater Prison in Cairo. The newspaper reports that the decision to grant her liberty came during a 'day of mercy' this week.
Ms Plummer had attempted to bring 290 tramadol pills into Egypt in October when she was arrested at Hurghada airport and found to have the banned drug in her suitcase. Tramadol is legal on prescription in the UK.
She was held at the airport on October 9 on suspicion of what Egyptian authorities consider drug trafficking - which in some cases can even result in the death penalty.
Ms Plummer signed her name beneath a 38-page statement in Arabic, believing that she would then be able to leave but was subsequently charged, despite claiming she had “no idea” the drugs were banned in the country.
She claimed that the tablets were for her Egyptian partner Omar Abdel Aziz’s bad back. But the court rejected this argument and she was sentenced on Boxing Day 2017.
The newspaper reports that Miss Plummer “can’t wait to get home”. She told The Sun: “I never thought this day would come. I’d given up hope. It’s hard to believe and hasn’t sunk in yet.”
Sources at Britain's foreign office Miss Plummer’s family that they are 95 per cent certain she will be released on Friday.
Laura’s brother Kirk, 38, and sister Jayne Sinclair, 40, have already flown out to Cairo in anticipation of her release.
Jayne told the newspaper: “We can’t believe it’s over. We’ve prayed for this day since she was arrested. We just want to get her home.
“She’s been through a nightmare and will be scarred by her ordeal.
“It’ll be our job to put her back together but we’re pleased to have that chance.”
