President William Ruto has been asked to intervene in the case of Margaret Nduta Macharia, a 37-year-old Kenyan who has been sentenced to death in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, over drug trafficking charges.
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka in a letter addressed to the President said the situation is distressing and calls for immediate diplomatic intervention to protect her fundamental rights.
Onyonka wants the Head of State to explore the possibility of leniency and repatriation in her case.
“While acknowledging the sovereignty of the Vietnamese judicial system, the Government of Kenya must intervene to ensure that Ms. Macharia’s life is preserved and that she is given an opportunity to serve an appropriate sentence in her home country under Kenyan law,” read the statement in part.
Why Onyonka Wants Ruto to Intervene in Margaret Nduta’s case
Additionally, the Kisii Senator urged President Ruto’s government to engage with the Vietnam authorities to facilitate her repatriation to Kenya through diplomatic negotiations.
Her repatriation, Onyonka adds, would allow Nduta to be prosecuted and sentenced under Kenyan law.
What’s more, the Kisii Senator wants Kenya to engage the United Nations and international human rights bodies to support Kenya’s plea for clemency and fair treatment of its citizens facing harsh penalties abroad.
“Kenya has, on numerous occasions, stood for justice and the humane treatment of its citizens worldwide. It is my sincere hope that, through your leadership, a diplomatic resolution can be reached to save Ms. Macharia’s life and allow her to face justice in her home country,” said Onyonka.
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Nduta Convicted for Smuggling Cocaine
Onyonka also copied the letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Mission in Kenya, requesting their immediate attention to the matter.
The Kisii Senator’s plea comes days after Nduta was convicted by the People’s Court in Ho Chi Minh City on March 6 after being found guilty of smuggling over two kilograms of cocaine.
The 37-year-old was arrested in July 2023 while on her way to Laos.
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Nduta’s family has also appealed to the government to intervene in their daughter’s case.
“It was the first time my daughter was traveling overseas searching for greener pastures. I plead with the authorities to help bring her home, even if it means serving her sentence locally,” her mother, Purity Wangari said in a media interview on March 12.
“She was given the luggage which got her arrested by a Kenyan man to take it to a woman abroad,” Wangari added.
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