Kenyan Margaret Nduta, 37, a Kenyan woman sentenced to death in Vietnam for cocaine trafficking, was granted a lifeline on Thursday when the Vietnam People’s Supreme Court commuted her sentence to life imprisonment.
The 37, had been facing imminent execution after her conviction for smuggling two kilograms of cocaine, a crime previously punishable by death in Vietnam.
However, her appeal against the capital punishment received a major boost following the recent amendment to the country’s Penal Code, which removed the death penalty for certain drug-related offences, including hers.
Nduta from Murang’a was arrested at Tân Són Nhât International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City in July 2023. She claimed she was unaware of the drugs in her luggage, but prosecutors rejected her defence and she was sentenced to death on March 6 by the Vietnam People’s Court of First Instance.
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Her case drew attention in Kenya after images of her courtroom appearance circulated online, sparking public outcry. The Kenyan government intervened, raising concerns over the fairness of her trial—particularly the lack of legal representation—and launched diplomatic talks with Vietnamese authorities.
These efforts, coupled with the legal reforms in Vietnam, proved decisive. Nduta can now seek clemency or a presidential pardon in her pursuit of freedom.
Her reprieve comes shortly after another high-profile case involving Kenyan national Stephen Munyakho, who was freed in Saudi Arabia after 14 years on death row.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said on July 30 that the government was working to repatriate over 1,000 Kenyans jailed abroad.
