Kenyan Woman Sentenced To Death In Vietnam For Smuggling 2kg Drugs

A Kenyan woman was, on Friday, March 7, sentenced to death in Vietnam after she was caught trafficking over two kilograms of drugs through Tan Son Nhat International Airport. 

37-year-old Macharia Margaret Nduta was apprehended at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport, which serves Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s most populous city, according to reports from the Asian nation.

Vietnamese authorities disclosed that Nduta was hired by a man in Kenya to transport a suitcase to Laos in July 2023. The suitcase was allegedly meant for delivery to a woman in Laos, after which Nduta was expected to return with unspecified "goods."

For her involvement, the Kenyan woman received a payment of $1,300 (approximately Ksh167,895 at current exchange rates) from her employer in Kenya.

Photo of Margaret Macharia Nduta who was caught with 2kg of drugs. /FILE

According to the indictment, the Kenyan man who recruited Nduta also covered her airfare. It was revealed that she began her journey on July 7, traveling through multiple countries before arriving at Tân Sơn Nhất Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on July 14.

Due to a delay in her connecting flight, airport staff advised her to complete entry procedures for Vietnam so they could assist in booking her flight to Laos.

However, during immigration checks, authorities discovered more than 2 kilograms of drugs hidden in her suitcase. In court, Nduta claimed she was unaware of the drugs when she received the suitcase.

Prosecutors rejected this defense, arguing that it was an attempt to avoid responsibility and asserting that she must be held accountable for drug trafficking.

On Thursday, Nduta was sentenced to death. In Vietnam, individuals convicted of drug-related offenses and sentenced to death undergo an extensive legal process before execution.

Following sentencing, the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuracy review the case, with up to two months to consider any extraordinary appeals. The convicted person also has seven days to submit a clemency petition to the State President. If these legal avenues do not result in a reprieve, the court proceeds with scheduling the execution.

The time frame between sentencing and execution varies depending on the specifics of the case and the duration of legal reviews and clemency considerations.

Vietnam is a key trafficking hub for narcotics around the Golden Triangle, an intersection of China, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar and the world's second-largest drug-producing region.

The country remains a convenient drug trafficking route for gangs due to its long border connection of 2,300 km with the neighbouring countries. Furthermore, Ho Chi Minh City is viewed as an attractive transit point for smugglers because of its proximity to neighbouring Cambodia.

The country also has some of the world’s toughest drug laws, with those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or cocaine, or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine, possibly facing the death penalty.

An undated picture of splendid nightlife in Ho Chi Minh City. /LONELY PLANET