A Kenyan woman has been sentenced to death in Vietnam after being caught trafficking over two kilograms of drugs through Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
According to court proceedings, 37-year-old Macharia Margaret Nduta was hired in July 2023 by a fellow Kenyan to transport a suitcase to Laos, a country in Asia.
According to the indictment, she was instructed to hand over the suitcase to a woman in Laos and then return with unspecified 'goods'.
Nduta was reportedly paid $1,300 (approximately Ksh168,000) for the task, and her travel expenses, including plane tickets fully covered.
According to Vietnamese authorities, Nduta’s journey involved traveling through multiple countries before she arrived at Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) on July 14, 2023.
Due to a late arrival, airport staff assisted her in completing immigration procedures so they could help her book a flight to Laos.
However, during the process, customs officials discovered over two kilograms of illicit drugs concealed in her suitcase.
In her defense, Nduta claimed she was unaware that the suitcase contained drugs when she received it.
However, prosecutors argued that this statement was an attempt to evade responsibility, asserting that she was accountable for the illegal substances she transported.
The court ultimately found her guilty and handed down a death sentence on Thursday, March 6.
This comes a week after a Kenyan man was arrested in connection with the brutal murder of his spouse in Killeen, Texas, USA.
In a statement on Saturday, February 22, the Killeen Police Department identified the suspect as 42-year-old John Gitau Mwangi, who was taken into custody at Fort Cavazos following the tragic incident.
According to the Police Department, officers responded to a welfare check at a home in the 3300 block of Lakecrest Drive at approximately 7:16 PM on Friday, February 21.
Upon arrival, they discovered 37-year-old Esther Gitau with multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at 9:29 PM by Justice of the Peace Nicola James.
Additionally, two children were located inside the residence, unaware of what occurred but were safe at the time of the welfare check.
Following the discovery, detectives with the Robbery-Homicide Unit launched an investigation and obtained an arrest warrant for Mwangi, who was later found on Fort Cavazos.
