​Margaret Nduta, a Kenyan woman facing a death sentence in Vietnam for drug trafficking, has a complicated history that could affect her case.
She was arrested in Vietnam in July 2023 with over two kilograms of cocaine in her suitcase, a situation she claims she was unaware of, asserting that she was coerced into transporting the drugs under threat to her family.
A new development has come to light that could complicate her case. It has been revealed that before her arrest in Vietnam, Nduta had been imprisoned in Ghana for a similar offense, according to a fellow Kenyan inmate who was jailed in Ghana with her.
The woman alleges that after their release from prison, Nduta was again coerced by Nigerian drug syndicates to smuggle drugs, which led to her arrest in Vietnam.
However, Nduta’s family has denied these allegations, stating that she had never been to Ghana before her trip to Vietnam, which raises questions about the veracity of these claims.
Despite the complexity of her situation, the Kenyan government has been actively engaging with the Vietnamese authorities to prevent her execution.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, Korir Sing’oei, confirmed that they have been in discussions with Vietnamese officials, hoping to secure clemency for Nduta.
The Kenyan government has expressed concern over the impending death sentence, stressing the need for a diplomatic resolution.
Vietnam has strict drug laws that carry the death penalty for significant quantities of narcotics, and Nduta’s case has drawn international attention.
While Nduta maintains that she was coerced, the Vietnamese legal system has upheld her conviction, leaving the Kenyan government to continue pushing for clemency on her behalf.
This new information about Nduta’s past incarceration in Ghana only adds to the complexity of her case, and it remains to be seen how it will influence the ongoing diplomatic efforts to prevent her execution.
