Family tragedy: young wife 'follows' husband to prison

Ho Thi Thuy (born 2000), from Quynh Lam commune, Quynh Luu district. Thuy is young but got married 3 years ago. Thuy confided that she had not finished secondary school yet so she dropped out and went to work to help her parents. At 19, Thuy got married to a boy from the neighboring village, 6 years older. Realizing that having children when the economy is not stable will make life difficult, Thuy and her husband discussed "postponing" the plan to have children. However, instead of working hard to prepare for the future, this couple got involved in drugs.

Defendant Ho Thi Thuy was sentenced to 15 years in prison for illegally selling drugs. Photo: Tran Vu

Before that, Thuy's husband was arrested by the police and sentenced to prison for drug-related crimes. During the days when her husband was in prison, Thuy packed up and visited him many times, so she understood the prison life to some extent. However, instead of taking that as a lesson for herself, Thuy "followed in her husband's footsteps" to sell drugs. Thuy's mysterious relationships and actions made the public suspicious. Therefore, the masses didcriminal complaintto the police

Based on the criminal complaint, on June 27, 2022, Quynh Luu District Police summoned Ho Thi Thuy to work. Faced with undeniable evidence, Thuy admitted to selling drugs. Searching Thuy's residence, the police discovered many drug pills hidden in the bedroom.

Thuy confessed that the above drugs were purchased from a man of unknown origin and address at the end of May 2022 for 10 million VND. After that, Thuy secretly hid them in her house to sell to addicts for 250,000 to 300,000 VND/pill.

Charged with drug trafficking, the female defendant admitted to her crime at the witness stand. Thuy said she knew that selling drugs was against the law. “Because I have little education and limited legal awareness, I sold drugs. I ask the court to consider reducing my sentence,” the female defendant said.

However, the Trial Panel believes that the defendant's justification of limited legal awareness for committing the crime is not satisfactory. Because the defendant's husband had committed a drug crime and is currently in prison. The defendant, as a wife, should have clearly understood her husband's wrongdoings and the strict provisions of the law, and should have taken that as a lesson for herself. However, because of greed and laziness, the defendant continued to sell drugs to addicts, violating the law and causing insecurity and disorder in the locality.

When asked what Thuy thought when both husband and wife committed a crime and were in trouble with the law, the female defendant was silent for a moment and then mumbled "regret". Thuy shared that since her arrest, she had not had the opportunity to visit her husband, so she could only send messages through relatives. The female defendant shared that she hoped her husband would also try to reform so that he could return soon, so that the couple could rebuild their lives.

Thuy expressed remorse for her crime. Photo: Tran Vu

Since the young couple were arrested for drugs, both sides of the family had to take turns visiting and encouraging them. Today, at the trial, both sides of the parents also wiped away tears to encourage their daughter and daughter-in-law to “reform well”. In just a short time, they sent their son and daughter-in-law to prison, which was too much pain for parents…

The jury determined that the defendant’s criminal behavior violated the law. The defendant, because of greed for money and laziness, illegally traded drugs, so it should be severely punished for general deterrence and prevention. However, in this case, it is also necessary to consider some mitigating circumstances for the defendant, such as honest confession, remorse, family contributions to the revolution, first-time offender, etc. Considering the aggravating and mitigating circumstances, the court sentenced defendant Ho Thi Thuy to 15 years in prison for the crime of illegal drug trafficking.

The court ended, Thuy quickly turned back to apologize to both parents and then followed the officers back to the detention center. The group of people below stood and watched for a while then quietly left. The drizzle made the cold of the last days of the year even more numbing. But perhaps, for them, that cold was not as cold as the chill in their hearts when both their son and daughter-in-law were imprisoned for drugs in such a short time...