Praise the Lord.
I am a 35-year-old single mother to a 9-year-old boy. I am a Christian from a humble background in Nairobi, Kenya.
This is my story.
I was raised by a single mum who passed away in 2015. Life has been really hard for me and my siblings after our mother passed on.
I remember mum would go hungry most of the time to sacrifice food for us children. She would ask for assistance from church every Saturday, and the little she got, she would save for my school fees to go to high school since I had performed very well at my primary level. She only managed to send me to a boarding school after an organization called Well Wishers fundraised for me. Meanwhile, my brother went to a day school, but he would be sent home now and then because of failure to pay the fees. I thank God because finally, we managed to finish high school. It was so unfortunate that we lost her. It pained me because she never got to know how I performed. She left us behind with our niece and we were to bring her up by ourselves. Life taught us to be responsible at a very young age.
All this time my brother and I had to do odd jobs to survive, pay the bills, and support our niece until we got stable jobs. I went to university after my relatives helped to pay for my engineering degree and after 2018, I wanted to start my own company that deals with the installation of biodigesters. I needed to set up a website for my company, payment for my Facebook page, capital for printing out brochures for marketing and set up an office. So I approached a friend of mine who was working for a micro-financing agency and who offered me a small loan, that I was to pay monthly with interest. I managed to set up my company and business picked up until the COVID pandemic struck.
At this time, life became so hard for self-employed people. I had to close down the office and had no money to pay the rent and my staff. I started selling rice, and I would pack and advertise my business online and do deliveries to get enough to sustain me and my son.
The friend who had facilitated my loan approached me again and asked me if I would like to make extra cash. Knowing the need I had, with all the debts incurred for the office I agreed without further thought. She later told me that it was a very quick job and that within 14 days I would get paid. This got my attention, but still, a small voice told me “Wait, the deal is too good, think twice”. I was reluctant at first, scared, and kept procrastinating. My friend assured me that she had successfully done it before and had traveled to Thailand. I took my time to think, but since I desperately needed money, I gave in.
She later organized a visa for my trip to Thailand, after convincing me that it wasn’t risky at all because it was as simple as carrying a backpack delivery and then getting the payment.
I could only think of trying something I had never done in my life. I didn’t even know what cocaine looked like; I had only seen it in movies.
A few days into my trip, they changed the trip to Hong Kong which I did not decline because the offer was the same.
My traveling day was set for the 7th of April. Everything had already been paid for… plane ticket, hotel bookings, and reservations and I was ready to start my journey. I was so looking forward to this day since I had witnessed how my friend was living a good life after doing the business. She instructed me how I’d be going through the transit in Ethiopia and I was keen not to miss anything.
My friend had communicated with a Nigerian man and was instructed to take pictures of me to send to someone named Nike in Addis Ababa. She did as instructed at the airport and then left. While waiting, I could only think of trying something I had never done in my life. I didn’t even know what cocaine looked like; I had only seen it in movies.
After a two-hour flight, I arrived in Addis Ababa and was told to go straight to the taxi driver and give him the street name to meet Nike. I provided my phone number, and they communicated while I was taken to a place called Farat. The woman there paid the taxi driver and welcomed me into their home. There, I met Nike, the Nigerian, whom my friend had been communicating with throughout my trip.
I was served dinner at around 10:30 p.m. After dinner, Nike came into the room with a glass of water, some tablets, and two pellets, asking if I was familiar with them. I said no, believing I would bring the drugs in my suitcase or a bag they had prepared. To my shock, he told me I had to swallow as many pellets as possible for good payment. I was terrified; this was not what I expected. He insisted that since I was already there, I had no choice but to swallow them.
I was told to rest, and at 6 a.m., I would start swallowing the pellets. I was given anti-vomit and anti-diarrhea tablets and then went upstairs to sleep. The next morning, Nike called me and handed me a bag containing about 100 pellets to start swallowing. It was incredibly difficult; I was scared of their size and worried for my life. I tried the first one, but it made me feel like vomiting, and I struggled to swallow.
Nike came in and insisted I had to swallow them since there was no time; my flight was that night. Alone in the room, I kept encouraging myself because I was desperate for money. I remembered my debts and cried as I tried to swallow as many as I could. By around 5:30 p.m., I had swallowed 66 pellets. Nike asked how many I had swallowed and was disappointed. He urged me to reach 80, but I couldn’t. He called his boss in Nigeria via video call, who tried to convince me, but I only managed to swallow two additional pellets. I felt horrible.
Nike then gave me Coca-Cola to sip to avoid vomiting, but I still couldn’t swallow anymore. I only managed 68 pellets, which disappointed them. My flight was at 9:45 p.m., and I needed to be at the airport three hours before. I quickly showered and arrived at the airport by 7:30 p.m.
Nike advised me to only drink liquids, and not eat until I reached Hong Kong. I took the anti-diarrhea tablets again, and Mike took my photo to send to the person I was to meet in Hong Kong. I asked for the contact but was told it would be shared once I confirmed my arrival. I was to call him via WhatsApp from the airport for directions and to connect with the person I was meeting. He instructed me to show the immigration authorities my hotel itinerary and say I was visiting Hong Kong for 14 days, with the hotel covering all expenses.
Before my flight, I called my son, who told me how much he missed me after just one day apart. He has been my best friend since his father left, and I would do anything for him. I felt sad hearing his voice but held back my emotions because I had to go through with this, even though it was wrong.
After a long flight, I finally arrived in Hong Kong. I tried to reach Nike, but he was unreachable, and my phone’s battery was dying. I was worried because I didn’t know anyone in this foreign country. I headed to immigration, trying not to look lost. Everyone was queuing for document verification. When it was my turn, two black men ahead of me were asked to step aside. After being checked, I too was told to stay aside. I wasn’t worried since Mike had assured me everything would be fine.
I felt confident because I believed nothing would happen to me, as my friend had assured me before.
We were taken to a separate room for interrogation. I felt confident because I believed nothing would happen to me, as my friend had assured me before. After more checking, I was asked to remove my clothes and was taken to the hospital for a body scan. There, after a urine test, I expelled 21 pellets because I could no longer hold them. This was evidence against me, and I was shaking because I knew it was the end. I was arrested by Customs officers and taken to remove the remaining 47 pellets. I felt numb after being cuffed and walked straight to the police car, terrified. (Read details of her arrest here)
Now, I have been in detention for 2 months and 12 days, and it feels like an eternity. I haven’t adjusted to prison life and I cry every day, regretting my choices. I ask for forgiveness from the Lord because I acted out of greed, wanting quick money to support my family. Not a single day goes by without tears.
I honestly don’t know how my case will turn out, but I am hoping and praying for a lighter sentence. I feel so sad here because I have no criminal record in my country. This is my unfortunate moment, being arrested in a foreign country for trafficking cocaine. I also wonder if it was a setup, or if the recruiters wanted to use me to test how safe Hong Kong is for drug trafficking. I think this way because my friend mentioned other women who have trafficked drugs in Thailand multiple times. I was the first person sent to Hong Kong.
I urge anyone considering this to stop completely. I endangered my life by swallowing the pellets—what if one had burst in my stomach? I could have died, God forbid. I’m also emotionally tortured knowing my son lacks motherly love and care while I’m away. My life plans have stopped, and I feel lonely here as the only Kenyan. I didn’t receive my payment since I was supposed to be paid after delivery, while they are out enjoying life to the fullest.
All I can say is for God to forgive them and turn them away from their evil ways. They should stop using innocent people in trafficking dangerous drugs, not just in Hong Kong but all over the world.
Note: This letter has been edited to improve the readability and clarity of the story.
