Kenyan woman handed 10 years in jail for cocaine smuggling

Juba High Court has sentenced a Kenyan national to 10 years in jail for smuggling cocaine and other prohibited drugs into South Sudan.

Aveleen Anagou, aged 40 years was arrested in August 2022 after being found in possession of 3 kilograms of illegal narcotics.

She was apprehended at Juba International Airport by national security officers.

The Kenyan woman had hidden the drugs inside creams and body lotion containers.

While being sentenced on Thursday this week, the court ordered her deportation to Nairobi once she finishes her decade-long jail term.

The high court also directed relevant authorities to destroy the confiscated drugs immediately.

Meanwhile, David John Kumuri, spokesperson of the Internal National Security Bureau says there is no compromise when it comes to the laws of the country.

“The internal National Security Bureau of the National Security Service arrested the Kenyan woman at Juba International Airport proceeding from Brazil, and in possession of dangerous drugs amounting to three kilograms of cocaine.” Kumuri told the media on Thursday.

“Based on this, the suspect was convicted to 10 years in jail so there is no compromise with the law of South Sudan.”

Regional and international drug smugglers have been arrested at Juba Airport on several occasions.

In June this year, the same court sentenced a Brazilian woman to two years in prison for shipping cocaine into the country.

Juliana D`Oliviera was arrested at the Juba International Airport on 31 July 2022 after three kilograms of cocaine was found in her possession.