A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, Wednesday sentenced a 37-year-old South African woman, Mrs. Duru Gcimukwazi Lindiwefa to 18 years imprisonment for attempting to export 5.5 kilogrammes of methamorphine to South Africa.

The convict was arrested on 26 July, 2012 during the outward clearance of a South African airline to Johannesburg.

She pleaded guilty to a count charge.

Her counsel, Eugene Okenyi, in his allocutus urged the court to be lenient with the convict because she is HIV positive, and is married to a Nigerian man whom she had a son for. But the husband is nowhere to be found.

The counsel said she was not aware that the substance she was carrying was a drug, as it was put in her bag by a man who claimed to be a good samaritan who bought her a return ticket to South Africa.

In her judgement, the presiding judge, Justice Benedicta Molokwu, said the convict showed sign of remorse.

She therefore sentenced her to 18 months imprisonment without an option of fine.

Justice Molokwu also ordered that she should be repatriated to South Africa after serving her jail term.
http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/01/23/south-african-woman-jailed-18-months-for-drug-trafficking/#respond

There you go peeps as i thought "drugs" is only synonymous to NIGERIANS and not South Africans.whats your verdict on this? as for me,i laugh in ZULU......Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

First it was 18yrs later 18mnths pls which is correct.

overdrive: First it was 18yrs later 18mnths pls which is correct.

All of the above

She got what she diserved.

andrewza: She got what she diserved.

jidewi: Her counsel, Eugene Okenyi, in his allocutus urged the court to be lenient with the convict because she is HIV positive, and is married to a Nigerian man whom she had a son for. But the husband is nowhere to be found.

This is an insult. You arrest this woman on drug issue why protray her as HIV positive ?
This being said,one can ask why is Nigeria publicizing this arrest which is nothing but miscellaneous? First go arrest her nigerian husband before all this hyping because he could well be the kingpin.

panafrican:
This is an insult. You arrest this woman on drug issue why protray her as HIV positive ?
This being said,one can ask why is Nigeria publicizing this arrest which is nothing but miscellaneous? First go arrest her nigerian husband before all this hyping because he could well be the kingpin.

So drug trafficking is now MISCELLANEOUS ne??If it were to be a Nigerian Woman caught in SA while trafficking,would you say same?Most media if not all would make it a headline report.

Stating her HEALTH issue is not a portrayal for ridicule, but a basis to ask for leniency in judgement [Naija justice system is know for that. Check the story of two Chinese guys who imported 40 feet container of high grade drug into Nigeria.Rather than accept to be deported back to china (instant death sentence) they pleaded to serve their sentence in naija prison instead]

BTW her naija husband was not the one caught. So far unless there be existing evidence against him,he remains a suspect before law and nothing more.

jidewin:
BTW her naija husband was not the one caught. So far unless there be existing evidence against him,he remains a suspect before law and nothing more.

How many grams of drug did this woman have in her hand? South Africa and Nigeria's rivalry should not take place at the expense of african women dignity, because it is not in our culture as africans to talk about our women like that. The lawyer could well tell the court that his client has some serious health issues that are intimate.