Kenyan drug mule gets life sentence

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Lapu-Lapu City yesterday handed a guilty verdict on a Kenyan national on charges of delivering and transporting about three kilos of crystal methamphetamine hydrochloride commonly known as shabu.

RTC Branch 27 Judge Toribio Quiwag handed the life sentence on Asha Atieno Oguto, who was arrested on September 29, 2011 at the Mactan Cebu International Airport.

The judge also directed Ogutu to pay a fine of P3 million.

Since Ogutu is an alien, after she serves her sentence, she will immediately be deported without further proceedings based on Article 29 of the Revised Penal Code.

Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested Ogutu when she arrived on board a flight from Doha, Qatar.

   With the help of drug-sniffing dogs, the NBI agents found two packs of shabu, each weighing approximately 1.5 kilos, concealed in the lining of Ogutu’s checked in luggage.

She was charged with violation of section 5, Article 2 of the Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002.

The NBI in Cebu were informed by the Manila based Reaction Arrest and Interdiction Division (RAID) about the attempt to bring in a large amount of drugs through Mactan.

They then coordinated with the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for the operation.

At 4:00 p.m. the BID and the BOC conducted the inspection of the passengers when the accused handed over her customs declaration form to Deputy Collector for Passengers Services Calvin Bonaobra, her two hand bags and her checked in luggage were checked and subjected to sniffing examination by the K-9.

They said that when the dog sniffed the bag of the accused, the dog had an abnormal reaction “by showing a very jolly behavior, wagging his tail” and did not leave the luggage.

Based on the behavior of the dog, the luggage of the accused was subjected to an extensive examination and the authorities found the drugs.

Ogutu said in court that sometime in March 2011, she met a person named Selin on the Internet and the latter offered to send her to the Philippines for a vacation, which she immediately accepted.

She said she only got hold of her luggage when she took her final flight to the Philippines from Doha, Qatar.

The defense counsel, Ricardo Amores, said that they will file a petition for review before the Supreme Court within 15 days. — /NLQ (FREEMAN)