“South African Court Jails Nigerian, Local Accomplice For 37 Years Over Major Drug Trafficking Case”

A South African court has sentenced a Nigerian national, Victor Udoh, and his South African accomplice, Vuyisekha Mzwakhe, to a combined 37 years in prison after finding them guilty of drug trafficking and related offences.

According to South Africa–based Nova News, the Oudtshoorn Regional Court handed the 33-year-old Udoh a 22-year sentence — 20 years for drug-dealing and two years for immigration violations. His associate, Mzwakhe, received a 15-year term for her role as a courier in the drug operation.

Court filings revealed that the case originated in 2021 when Mzwakhe contacted Udoh via a social-media messaging platform, offering to transport items between major South African cities. Prosecutors said she willingly became a drug courier, receiving financial support from Udoh to cover her travel and lodging.

The operation was uncovered after a parcel was delivered to the pair at a guesthouse in George on October 15, 2021. Acting on intelligence, police intercepted a taxi transporting the suspects to Oudtshoorn. A search of the vehicle uncovered a box containing 743 grams of methamphetamine — known locally as “tik” — with an estimated street value of R260,050.

State prosecutor Hyron Goulding argued that Udoh coordinated the scheme while Mzwakhe knowingly participated. Both defendants pleaded not guilty: Mzwakhe claimed she was unaware of the package’s contents, and Udoh questioned the legality of the search. The court, however, ruled that police had proper authorisation for the roadblock and that the suspects had consented to the search.

The court also heard that Udoh had been living illegally in South Africa for more than five years after his asylum application was denied in 2016. Mzwakhe, who was initially released on bail, was later rearrested for failing to appear in court. Udoh remained behind bars throughout the five-year trial after being denied bail.

The National Prosecuting Authority welcomed the verdict, saying it reaffirms South Africa’s commitment to tackling drug crimes, which it described as a key contributor to violence and community instability. The sentencing comes amid heightened scrutiny of transnational drug networks across Africa and Asia, including a recent operation in India that led to the arrest of 50 Nigerian nationals linked to an international narcotics ring.