Nigerian, South African Partner Sentenced to 37 Years for Drug Trafficking

A South African court has handed a combined 37-year prison sentence to a Nigerian citizen, Victor Udoh, and his South African accomplice, Vuyisekha Mzwakhe, after convicting them of drug trafficking and related offences.

According to South Africa–based Nova News, the Oudtshoorn Regional Court sentenced 33-year-old Udoh to 22 years—20 years for drug-dealing and two years for immigration violations. Mzwakhe was given a 15-year term for serving as a courier in the criminal operation.

Court records show that the case originated in 2021 when Mzwakhe reached out to Udoh via a social media messaging app, offering to transport goods between major cities in South Africa. Prosecutors said she knowingly took on the role of drug courier, receiving funds from Udoh to pay for her travel and accommodation.

Investigations led police to a guesthouse in George, where the pair received a parcel on October 15, 2021. Acting on intelligence, officers later intercepted a taxi carrying the suspects to Oudtshoorn. A search of the vehicle uncovered a box holding 743 grams of methamphetamine—known locally as “tik”—with a street value estimated at R260,050.

During trial proceedings, state prosecutor Hyron Goulding maintained that Udoh coordinated the drug run, while Mzwakhe participated voluntarily. Both defendants pleaded not guilty; Mzwakhe claimed she was unaware of the parcel’s contents, while Udoh contested the legitimacy of the police search. The court ruled, however, that officers had proper authorisation for the roadblock and that the suspects had consented to the search.

The court also heard that Udoh had been living illegally in South Africa for more than five years, following the rejection of his asylum claim in 2016.

While Mzwakhe was initially granted bail, she was later rearrested after failing to appear in court. Udoh, denied bail earlier in the case, remained in custody throughout the five-year trial.

Reacting to the judgment, the National Prosecuting Authority praised the court’s decision, saying it reflects the justice system’s determination to combat drug-related offences, which it described as key contributors to violence and instability in communities.

The sentencing comes as authorities across Africa and Asia intensify crackdowns on international drug networks, including a recent operation in India that led to the arrest of 50 Nigerian nationals linked to a global narcotics ring.

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