Aasai

Kenyan Margaret Nduta arrested in Vietnam to serve life sentence, not death sentence.It is a relief for Kenyan Margaret Nduta and her family; after the highest court in Vietnam commuted her death sentence to life imprisonment

THE family of Margaret Nduta, who was sentenced to death in Vietnam, have said the verdict has caused them great emotional distress, although they are happy that the death penalty was not carried out against her. Nduta was sentenced to death after being found in possession of 2 kilograms of drugs, an offence that was previously directly punishable by death under Vietnams criminal code. 

On Thursday, Vietnams Supreme Court commuted the sentence to life in prison. She will have the opportunity to submit a request for clemency to the countrys President, a matter that Kenyas Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said it will closely monitor.

Nduta hails from Weithaga village, Kiharu constituency, Murang’a county. Yesterday, Rosemary Macharia, who is Nduta’s sister, said the family  greatly welcomed the court’s decision but admitted that life in prison still scares them a lot also for now. 

She said their mother was the worst affected and has been forced to take medication due to her health condition from the day her daughter was jaile in vietinam country. “My mother started getting sick when she heard about my sister’s plight. She has been taking medication since then. She is not even aware of the new court decision and we do not want her to be in any more pain at the moment,” she said. 

“I have just left the hospital and telling her about the matter will only cause her more stress. We are waiting to see what happens next so that we can help our sister,” she added.Nduta is the youngest of four girls in their familly. She was born in October 1988. 

The ruling, issued on Thursday, follows legal reforms in Vietnam that removed the automatic death penalty for some crimes, including drug trafficking. 

The courts decision now gives Nduta the opportunity and a chance to apply for clemency or a reduction in sentence from the Vietnamese president, who has the constitutional power to pardon prisoners who are found with such cases in that country.

Before the reforms, a person caught with 100 grams of drugs was automatically sentenced to death. Nduta was caught with 2 kilograms of drugs when he arrived in Vietnam in July in the year 2023.