The family of Margaret Nduta has received temporary relief after Kenyan consular officials in Vietnam confirmed that she is alive and being treated humanely at Ho Chi Minh Prison.
This came after weeks of diplomatic efforts, with Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei stating that a team based in Bangkok secured travel visas and was able to visit her.
While she remains deeply distressed, Nduta is coping as legal and diplomatic efforts to save her continue.Nduta was sentenced to death by lethal injection on March 6 after a Vietnamese court found her guilty of smuggling over two kilos of cocaine.
She had been arrested in July 2023 while allegedly transporting a suitcase for a man identified only as John.
Reports indicate that she unknowingly passed through security checks at three major airports, including Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, before being caught in Vietnam.
Her case has raised serious concerns about the extent of international drug trafficking networks that target unsuspecting individuals, putting them at risk of severe legal consequences in foreign countries.
Vietnam has some of the toughest drug laws in the world, imposing the death penalty on those caught trafficking more than 600 grams of heroin or cocaine.
This harsh stance is meant to curb drug smuggling, as the country remains a key transit hub in the Golden Triangle, one of the world’s most notorious drug trafficking regions. Once convicted, drug traffickers in Vietnam have limited chances of escaping the death penalty unless diplomatic intervention or a successful appeal changes the ruling.
The Kenyan government has filed an appeal against Nduta’s sentence and is actively engaging Vietnamese authorities in an attempt to secure a stay of execution.
However, the process is expected to be challenging due to Vietnam’s strict anti-narcotics policies. Diplomatic negotiations in such cases require careful handling, as host countries often resist external pressure when it comes to enforcing their laws.
Nduta’s case highlights the growing problem of Kenyans being lured into drug trafficking operations under false pretenses or without full awareness of the risks involved.
Many traffickers exploit individuals by offering them money or promising job opportunities abroad, only for them to end up facing serious criminal charges in foreign countries.
The government has urged Kenyans to be cautious when handling luggage for others, especially when traveling internationally, as ignorance is not considered a defense in drug-related cases.
Even as the Kenyan government works to secure Nduta’s release or a reduction of her sentence, her fate remains uncertain. The diplomatic team will have to navigate complex legal and political factors to convince Vietnamese authorities to reconsider the ruling.
Meanwhile, her family continues to hope that ongoing interventions will lead to a positive outcome.
