The recent sentencing of Margaret Nduta Macharia, a 37-year-old Kenyan, to death in Vietnam has reignited concerns over the fate of Kenyan nationals facing capital punishment abroad.
Nduta’s case adds to a growing list of Kenyans sentenced to death in foreign countries for drug-related and other serious offences, spotlighting the harsh penalties imposed under some nations’ legal systems.
Margaret Nduta Macharia – Vietnam, 2025
On March 6, 2025, a Vietnamese court sentenced Margaret Nduta Macharia to death after convicting her of smuggling over two kilograms of cocaine through Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City.
Authorities discovered the drugs hidden in a concealed compartment of her suitcase.
Despite her claim that she was unaware of the narcotics, Vietnamese prosecutors argued that the country’s strict liability laws render ignorance an insufficient defence.
Nduta’s legal team contends that she was manipulated by a man identified only as John, whom they claimed recruited her to deliver the suitcase in exchange for $1,300 (KSh168,571).
However, Vietnamese courts are known for their inflexible stance on drug-related crimes, and the defence was dismissed.
Nduta’s family in Kenya has since made emotional appeals to President William Ruto’s government for diplomatic intervention.
However, Vietnam enforces some of the most severe drug laws globally, with trafficking over 600 grams of heroin or cocaine carrying a mandatory death sentence.
Rose Achieng Ojala – Malaysia, 2017
In 2017, Rose Achieng Ojala, a mother of three, was sentenced to death by a Malaysian court for trafficking approximately 400 grams of methamphetamine.
Ojala was arrested at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on November 30, 2013, after arriving from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Immigration officers became suspicious of her behaviour, leading to a personal search where three capsules of methamphetamine weighing over 20 grams were found in her underwear.
Further medical examinations revealed that Ojala had swallowed an additional 68 capsules containing 380 grams of the drug.
During the trial, Ojala claimed her boyfriend had coerced her into transporting the drugs.
The judge, however, ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted her under Malaysia’s Dangerous Drugs Act of 1962, which mandates the death penalty for drug trafficking.
In addition to the death sentence, Ojala received a three-year prison term for possessing 20.7 grams of methamphetamine.
At the time of publishing this article, it remains unclear whether Ojala was executed or if her sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.
Stephen Bertrand Munyakho – Saudi Arabia, 2024
Stephen Bertrand Munyakho, a 50-year-old Kenyan, narrowly avoided execution in Saudi Arabia after being convicted of murder following a 2011 fatal altercation with a Yemeni colleague.
Munyakho spent 13 years in prison after the death of Abdul Halim Mujahid Makrad Saleh, which resulted from a physical confrontation on April 9, 2011.
Initially charged with manslaughter, his conviction was later escalated to murder after the victim’s family successfully appealed the ruling.
His execution by beheading was scheduled for May 15, 2024, but intensive diplomatic engagement by senior Kenyan government officials led to a reprieve.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs worked closely with Saudi authorities to delay the execution while negotiations continued.
On May 14, 2025, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei confirmed that Saudi authorities had granted Kenya’s request to postpone the execution.
“I am deeply grateful to inform that authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have kindly granted our request to postpone the impending execution of Stephen Munyakho [now known as Abdulkareem], to allow for further negotiations between all parties,” he announced.
To secure his release and avoid execution, Munyakho must pay $1.15 million (approximately Ksh150 million) as blood money to the deceased’s family.
The family had initially demanded $3.16 million (Ksh400 million) but later agreed to a lower amount after further discussions.
In response to his situation, several fundraising campaigns have been launched, urging the public to contribute toward the payment.
Meanwhile, civil society organizations continue to call for Munyakho’s repatriation to Kenya to face trial under the country’s legal system.
Munyakho’s case remains a subject of public interest, drawing widespread attention and advocacy efforts to secure his freedom.
Floviance Razan Owino – China, 2015
In May 2015, Floviance Razan Owino was sentenced to death in China for drug smuggling.
Owino had left her one-year-old daughter in Nairobi in 2013, promising to find work abroad.
Her family lost contact with her for two years until a mysterious caller from China informed them of her death sentence.
Owino was arrested in Guangzhou, China, and convicted of trafficking drugs.
Under Chinese law, death sentences for drug-related offences are often suspended for two years pending a review.
If a convict demonstrates good behaviour during this period, the sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment.
Following diplomatic intervention and a successful appeal, Owino’s sentence was eventually reduced to life imprisonment.
Despite this reprieve, her family continues to campaign for her return to Kenya.
The cases of these four Kenyans highlight the vulnerabilities faced by foreign nationals in countries with harsh drug and criminal laws.
Advocacy groups and human rights organizations continue to urge the Kenyan government to intensify diplomatic efforts to protect citizens facing capital punishment abroad.
Meanwhile, the affected families hold onto hope that their loved ones may one day return home.
Martin Oduor
The alchemist of literary works – a master wordsmith with a proven record of transforming the raw materials of language into a rich tapestry of emotion, thought, and imagination.
