A South African court handed down a combined sentence of 37 years to a Nigerian national and his South African accomplice for drug trafficking.
The Nigerian, Victor Udoh (33), received a 22-year sentence, consisting of 20 years for drug trafficking and an additional two years for violating immigration laws. His South African co-conspirator, Vuyisekha Mzwakhe, was sentenced to 15 years for willingly acting as a drug courier.
According to Nova News, the drug operation was organized via social media platforms. Mzwakhe contacted Udoh using messenger applications and agreed to transport drugs across major South African cities, including Johannesburg, Durban, and Plettenberg Bay. Udoh covered all of Mzwakhe’s travel and lodging expenses.
The two were arrested on October 15, 2021. After checking into a guesthouse in George, they received a drug parcel and subsequently boarded a taxi to Oudtshoorn. Police, acting on a tip-off, stopped the taxi at a roadblock and found Mzwakhe in possession of 743 grams of methamphetamine (known locally as ‘tik’), valued at R260,050.
During the trial, Udoh was identified by prosecutors as the mastermind, and Mzwakhe as a willing participant. Despite both pleading not guilty, the court found the evidence to be compelling. The court also noted that Udoh had been living illegally in South Africa for over five years after his asylum application was denied.
Both individuals had spent time in custody during the trial, with Udoh detained for five years and Mzwakhe for one year after she skipped bail. South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority praised the court’s decision, emphasizing the strong link between drug crimes and violence in local communities.
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