Kenyan Woman Spared Death Penalty in Vietnam Drug Case

• Jul 31, 2025

Margaret Nduta, a Kenyan woman convicted of drug trafficking in Vietnam, has avoided execution after the country’s Supreme Court commuted her death sentence to life imprisonment.

The decision, made on Thursday, comes after Vietnam enacted major legal reforms that eliminated automatic death penalties for certain offences, including drug trafficking. Nduta was arrested after being found with 2 kilograms of narcotics, a crime that previously carried a mandatory death sentence under Vietnamese law.

Under the new legal framework, individuals found guilty of similar offences may now receive a life sentence or a prison term of up to 40 years instead of facing execution. This change offers convicted individuals the chance to seek clemency or a reduction of sentence from the President of Vietnam, who holds constitutional authority to grant such requests.

Until recently, Vietnam’s penal code listed 22 offences punishable by death, including treason, corruption, murder, and trafficking more than 100 grams of illegal drugs. The revised law, which came into effect on July 2, is expected to affect the outcome of several ongoing and future cases.

Nduta’s case attracted widespread public interest in Kenya, largely due to the urgency of diplomatic efforts and the potential for a death sentence. The Kenyan government had limited time to engage with Vietnamese authorities before the final verdict was delivered.

Amnesty International-Kenya welcomed the ruling as a positive step, while also calling for further reforms. Executive Director Irungu Houghton reiterated the organization’s long-standing opposition to capital punishment.

“While a fair trial in a court of law is best placed to pronounce guilt or innocence, it is clear that the death penalty remains a cruel and inhumane punishment for all crimes,” Houghton said.

He also noted that Nduta was likely not the mastermind behind the drug operation but merely a courier. “Her cruel death would not have stopped the drug trade. The system will simply find another mule,” he added.

Despite this ruling, dozens of Kenyan nationals remain imprisoned across Asia for serious crimes, including drug and sexual offences. While Vietnam’s legal changes may set a new precedent, many still face lengthy sentences and harsh prison conditions.