A Kenyan woman, Margaret Nduta, is set to be executed today at 8 PM local time in Vietnam after being convicted of drug trafficking. Nduta, who hails from Murang’a County, was arrested at Tan Son Nhat International Airport on July 14, 2023, after customs officials discovered two kilograms of cocaine concealed in her suitcase.
Nduta, 32, was reportedly recruited by a fellow Kenyan, only identified as “John,” a stranger who hired her in July 2023 to transport a suitcase to Laos. According to court records, she was promised a total payment of $2,300 (approximately Ksh 300,000), with a $1,300 advance and the balance upon successful delivery. Her plane tickets and travel expenses were fully covered.
Her journey took her through multiple airports—Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Nairobi), Bole International Airport (Ethiopia), and Hamad International Airport (Qatar)—without detection. Upon arrival in Vietnam, due to a late connection, airport staff assisted her in completing immigration procedures. However, during routine checks, customs officers found the illicit drugs hidden in her luggage.
Final Hours Before Execution
Following her arrest, Nduta maintained that she was unaware of the drugs in her possession, claiming she had simply been asked to deliver the suitcase to an unknown woman in Laos. However, prosecutors dismissed her defense, arguing that ignorance was no excuse under Vietnam’s strict anti-narcotics laws. On March 6, 2025, she was found guilty and sentenced to death.
Her final appeal, filed on March 12, was unsuccessful, sealing her fate under Vietnam’s harsh drug laws. Authorities confirmed that she will either be executed by hanging (“kunyongwa”) or lethal injection.
Despite international human rights organizations and diplomatic efforts seeking clemency, the Vietnamese government remains firm on its anti-drug stance. The Kenyan government has not issued an official statement regarding her case, and it remains unclear if any last-minute intervention will take place.
With just hours left before her execution, Nduta’s tragic fate serves as a chilling reminder of the dangers of drug trafficking and the severe consequences of falling into the hands of international drug cartels.
