News / Africa
South African drug mule gets 15 years in Thailand prison
18 Jun 2012 at 22:00hrs | Views
A South African woman who was in arrested at Bangkok's international airport in Thailand
after police said they found 1.5kg of cocaine hidden in her dreadlocks in December 2011 has been sentenced to 15 years in a Thailand prison and fined R250 000.
The sentencing was confirmed by the office of the South African ambassador in Thailand, EWN.
Nobanda's sentence was actually 30 years but reduced to 15 because she co-operated and pleaded guilty, according to international relations and co-operations spokesperson Clayson Monyela.
The Eastern Cape woman was arrested at Bangkok International Airport in December for smuggling cocaine, worth R1.2m, which was hidden in her dreadlocks.
The former Wits University student said she was meant to hand it over to a contact at a hotel in Bangkok.
Nobanda will begin her prison sentence immediately.
A year or two may be added to her 15-year jail term if she does not pay the R250 000 fine, the ambassador's office said.
The sentencing was confirmed by the office of the South African ambassador in Thailand, EWN.
Nobanda's sentence was actually 30 years but reduced to 15 because she co-operated and pleaded guilty, according to international relations and co-operations spokesperson Clayson Monyela.
The Eastern Cape woman was arrested at Bangkok International Airport in December for smuggling cocaine, worth R1.2m, which was hidden in her dreadlocks.
The former Wits University student said she was meant to hand it over to a contact at a hotel in Bangkok.
Nobanda will begin her prison sentence immediately.
A year or two may be added to her 15-year jail term if she does not pay the R250 000 fine, the ambassador's office said.
Source - Sapa
