Reporter – Felicity Jooste
Oudtshoorn:- The Oudtshoorn Regional Court has sentenced a Nigerian national and a South African woman, to lengthy jail terms for their role in drug trafficking,
Their sentences following a case that detailed how drug operations were coordinated through social media and executed across provinces.
The accused, Vuyisekha Miranda Mzwakhe (30) and Victor Ikechukwu Udoh (33), were convicted of dealing in drugs.
Udoh additionally found guilty of contravening the Immigration Act, after residing in South Africa illegally for more than five years. Mzwakhe received 15 years’ direct imprisonment, while Udoh was handed 20 years for drug dealing, plus two additional years for immigration violations, bringing his effective sentence to 22 years. Both were declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Evidence presented by Regional Court Prosecutor Hyron Goulding, revealed that Mzwakhe contacted Udoh via social media, offering herself as a drug courier between major cities, provided the operations remained within South African borders. Udoh then deposited money into her account for transport and accommodation. The pair later met at a guesthouse in George, where a courier delivered a parcel later found to contain drugs.
Their plan collapsed when police received a tip-off about a suspicious couple, travelling in a taxi to Oudtshoorn. Officers set up a roadblock and searched the vehicle with consent. Mzwakhe was found with a sealed box on her lap, while Udoh carried her bag containing her ID and passport. Inside the box, police discovered 743 grams of methamphetamine (Tik) with a street value of approximately R260 050. Both suspects were immediately arrested.
Mzwakhe was initially granted bail but later absconded, spending a year in custody before sentencing. Udoh remained incarcerated for five years after bail was successfully opposed.
In court, both pleaded not guilty, Mzwakhe claimed ignorance of the parcel’s contents, while Udoh argued unlawful search and seizure. Goulding countered with Section 22(a) of the Criminal Procedure Act, stating the search was lawful as permission was granted.
The court found Udoh to be the mastermind, with Mzwakhe a willing participant motivated by financial gain. The National Prosecuting Authority welcomed the outcome, emphasizing that drug trafficking continues to destroy communities and fuel violent crime.
