Kenyan 'drug mule' pleads "not guilty"

CEBU, Philippines - The Kenyan national who was earlier arrested at the Mactan Cebu International Airport for bringing P15 million worth of shabu pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against her.

 After its postponement last Wednesday when the accused Asha Atieno Ogutu failed to present her lawyer, the court yesterday pushed through with the arraignment.

Lapu-Lapu City Regional Trial Court Presiding Judge Toribio Quiwag of Branch 25 appointed lawyer Ricardo Amores from the panel of lawyers.

Since Ogutu was not assisted by her own lawyer, Quiwag asked her who she chose to represent her in the arraignment. Ogutu agreed that Amores will represent her.

Amores told reporters that his representation in the case of Ogutu is temporary while waiting for a permanent lawyer to represent her.

Once Ogutu has her own lawyer, Amores said he will stop representing the Kenyan national.

After the arraignment, the court set the preliminary hearing of the case this coming October 19, 2011, to mark the evidence while the pre-trial will be on October 27, 2011.

Ogutu was arrested by the agents of the National Bureau of Investigation at the Mactan Cebu International Airport after she tried to sneak in 3 kilos of shabu.

The NBI suspects that Ogutu is a member of a big-time drug syndicate.

She is detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Jail pending trial of her case in court. (FREEMAN)