PHNOM PENH, May 2 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodian court on Tuesday convicted a South African man of cross-border drug trafficking and sentenced him to life in prison, according to a verdict.
Jacobus Dawie Botha, 30, was arrested at Phnom Penh International Airport on Sept. 23, 2016 for trafficking 587 gm of cocaine into Cambodia. The man swallowed drugs (hiding drugs in his stomach) and travelled on a flight from Brazil via Dubai and Bangkok to Cambodia.
"Jacobus Dawie Botha is charged with illegally possessing, transporting and dealing drugs under the Drug Law," said the verdict read by Phnom Penh Municipal Court's Presiding Judge Kim Rathnarin.
"The court decides to sentence him to life in prison and to fine him 40 million riel (10,000 U.S. dollars)," the verdict said.
During a hearing last month, Dawie Botha confessed that he swallowed some 100 packages containing cocaine, which was worth about 90,000 U.S. dollars on the market, adding that it was his first attempt to bring the drugs into Cambodia.
Under the Cambodian law, the convict has one month to appeal against the ruling.
