As the country continues to ponder on what will happen to Margret Nduta, the Kenyan who was busted with two kilograms of cocaine in Vietham, more questions continue to emerge on the plausibility of an expatriate to avoid the death penalty in the strict Middle-Eastern nations. Despite Nduta's claims of being unaware of the contents of a suitcase she was travelling with, she was found guilty of drug trafficking and subsequently sentenced to death on March 6 2025 by the People's Court in Ho Chi Minh City. As of Tuesday, March 18, 2025, her execution date had lapsed, with the Kenyan government still making last-ditch efforts to save her life.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently announced it had activated diplomatic channels through Kenya's embassy in Thailand - dispatching a team to Hanoi in a desperate attempt to secure clemency. But can Nduta escape the death penalty?
This question can only be answered comprehensively after the Vietnam government's response to the Kenyan government's requests. A photo of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia Photo KLIA Nduta's story draws eerily similar comparisons to another case involving Deborah Donde, the daughter of former Gem Member of Parliament Joe Donde.
In 2006, Deborah was detained by Malaysian authorities alongside her friend on allegations that they were dealing Marijuana in the country.
