News / National
Encounter with Nigerian drug traffickers lands Byo woman into a UK Prison
29 May 2012 at 11:13hrs | Views
LONDON, UK - A dramatic encounter with Nigerian drug traffickers in Senegal, landed a Bulawayo woman into a British prison after she was sniffed out of cocaine in her stomach with a street value of millions of British Pounds at Heathrow International Airport, a report revealed.
Tryness Ncube now 40, has spent three years in prison in the United Kingdom after she was arrested upon arrival at Heathrow International Airport where terminal three scanners detected up to 600 grams of cocaine in her stomach.
She denies knowledge as to how she swallowed the most notorious drugs, though admitting she was feeling uncomfortable in her stomach.
"I can only speculate that I swallowed these drugs unconsciously when two Nigerians whom I had been referred to in Senegal drugged me for hours only to wake up from my stupor to find myself naked without knowing how I was unaddressed. What I remember is someone coming over with some prepared food to a B & Q I was staying in.
I also remember the nigerians asking me to have a drink, first. Soon after having the drink I blackout and I suspect it is at this time that the Nigerians could have literally spoon-fed me the drugs," she said in interview from Britain's Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre where she was transferred to upon completing her six year sentence. The sentence was eventually cut by half due to discipline she showed.
The Press interview with Ncube was arranged Southern-On-Sea MDC chairman Mr Stanford Biti, younger brother to Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Tendai Biti. Ncube who is now awaiting deportation has attempted to argue her case that she cannot be sent back to Zimbabwe in fear of political persecution.
"The reason why I ended up encountering Nigerian drug traffickers is that I was running away from Zimbabwe after being tortured with burning plastics for campaigning for Morgan Tsvangirai in 2008. I am a well known MDC activist at eMganwini branch in Bulawayo and I have all the cards and everything in my disposal to demonstrate my role in the MDC. The drugs thing was not my fault, I don't do drugs I was just a victim of circumstances," she said tearfully.
"I left Zimbabwe without a passport to South Africa. In crossing the border into South Africa I had to be packed into a luggage area of the bus so that South African authorities don't detect me. Once in South Africa I had a fake South African passport arranged for me by some Nigerians who were introduced for me by some Zimbabweans who had assisted me leave the country" she said.
"However, I was confused when I was told the only ticket that had been arranged for me was to fly to Senegal where I will get a connecting ticket to the UK. I left South Africa on June 28, 2008 for Senegal. There, I was met by a Nigerian who took me to a bed and breakfast. I stayed there for about two weeks. A day before I Ieft for the UK, two Nigerians came with some food for me in a black bag. They first gave me a drink, before I started eating the food they had brought me I felt getting heavily intoxicated and dizzy, then I passed out. Now, I suspect when I passed out that's when they may have spoon-fed me with those drugs which took me into a UK prison for three years," she said.
"After several hours, I woke up from my stupor, only to find myself naked on the bed with the two Nigerians in my room sting on chairs. I checked my private parts to determine if I had been raped, but I was just ok it appeared no one had attempted to rape me. People can express their opinions about my perceived knowledge of these drugs, but what can say is that my God knows I know nothing about the drugs, my intention was escape from Zimbabwe, unfortunately landed myself in the hands of Nigerian drug traffickers. As it is now, I am still fighting to remain in the UK and I have told the Officials here that I am in danger in Zimbabwe due to my political activism," he said.
Ncube was to be met by another Nigerian man at Heathrow Airport, who is reported to have escaped upon discovering that she had been nabbed. It remains to be seen if the Nigerian man was going to tell Ncube not to use the toilet to relieve herself as her waste contained the drugs needed to hit the streets of London. She had also been given £900.00 which she was instructed to hand over to the man who was to meet her at the airport.
UK-based senior MDC activist Owen Muganda said he was aware of Ncube's situation, but said his hands were tight as the party's protocol requires that MDC-Bulawayo informs him of Ncube's party status before anything is done.
"I write support letters for our members and it's a free service. But in Ncube's case we need at least some communication from Bulawayo," he said.
Former MDC-UK treasurer Tendayi Goneso said he and his wife had visited Ncube in prison.
"My wife knew her from Zimbabwe, so our connection was more of a social one than political. She had insisted that she was facing persecution in Zimbabwe and refused to make a voluntary return saying she was at risk," he said.
Tryness Ncube now 40, has spent three years in prison in the United Kingdom after she was arrested upon arrival at Heathrow International Airport where terminal three scanners detected up to 600 grams of cocaine in her stomach.
She denies knowledge as to how she swallowed the most notorious drugs, though admitting she was feeling uncomfortable in her stomach.
"I can only speculate that I swallowed these drugs unconsciously when two Nigerians whom I had been referred to in Senegal drugged me for hours only to wake up from my stupor to find myself naked without knowing how I was unaddressed. What I remember is someone coming over with some prepared food to a B & Q I was staying in.
I also remember the nigerians asking me to have a drink, first. Soon after having the drink I blackout and I suspect it is at this time that the Nigerians could have literally spoon-fed me the drugs," she said in interview from Britain's Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre where she was transferred to upon completing her six year sentence. The sentence was eventually cut by half due to discipline she showed.
The Press interview with Ncube was arranged Southern-On-Sea MDC chairman Mr Stanford Biti, younger brother to Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Tendai Biti. Ncube who is now awaiting deportation has attempted to argue her case that she cannot be sent back to Zimbabwe in fear of political persecution.
"The reason why I ended up encountering Nigerian drug traffickers is that I was running away from Zimbabwe after being tortured with burning plastics for campaigning for Morgan Tsvangirai in 2008. I am a well known MDC activist at eMganwini branch in Bulawayo and I have all the cards and everything in my disposal to demonstrate my role in the MDC. The drugs thing was not my fault, I don't do drugs I was just a victim of circumstances," she said tearfully.
"However, I was confused when I was told the only ticket that had been arranged for me was to fly to Senegal where I will get a connecting ticket to the UK. I left South Africa on June 28, 2008 for Senegal. There, I was met by a Nigerian who took me to a bed and breakfast. I stayed there for about two weeks. A day before I Ieft for the UK, two Nigerians came with some food for me in a black bag. They first gave me a drink, before I started eating the food they had brought me I felt getting heavily intoxicated and dizzy, then I passed out. Now, I suspect when I passed out that's when they may have spoon-fed me with those drugs which took me into a UK prison for three years," she said.
"After several hours, I woke up from my stupor, only to find myself naked on the bed with the two Nigerians in my room sting on chairs. I checked my private parts to determine if I had been raped, but I was just ok it appeared no one had attempted to rape me. People can express their opinions about my perceived knowledge of these drugs, but what can say is that my God knows I know nothing about the drugs, my intention was escape from Zimbabwe, unfortunately landed myself in the hands of Nigerian drug traffickers. As it is now, I am still fighting to remain in the UK and I have told the Officials here that I am in danger in Zimbabwe due to my political activism," he said.
Ncube was to be met by another Nigerian man at Heathrow Airport, who is reported to have escaped upon discovering that she had been nabbed. It remains to be seen if the Nigerian man was going to tell Ncube not to use the toilet to relieve herself as her waste contained the drugs needed to hit the streets of London. She had also been given £900.00 which she was instructed to hand over to the man who was to meet her at the airport.
UK-based senior MDC activist Owen Muganda said he was aware of Ncube's situation, but said his hands were tight as the party's protocol requires that MDC-Bulawayo informs him of Ncube's party status before anything is done.
"I write support letters for our members and it's a free service. But in Ncube's case we need at least some communication from Bulawayo," he said.
Former MDC-UK treasurer Tendayi Goneso said he and his wife had visited Ncube in prison.
"My wife knew her from Zimbabwe, so our connection was more of a social one than political. She had insisted that she was facing persecution in Zimbabwe and refused to make a voluntary return saying she was at risk," he said.
Source - Zimdiaspora
