Husband buys drugs for wife to sell

On February 10, the People's Court of Nghe An province opened an appeal trial of two defendants, including husband Xong Pa Cho (born 1977) and wife Tho Thi Gia Cua (born 1979), both residing in Tri Le commune, Que Phong district, for the crime of illegal drug trafficking.

The indictment shows that on April 14, 2022, Xong Pa Cho went to the forest area to buy 2 packages of pink phien and heroin from 2 men (unknown background and address) for 2 million VND. Of the drugs purchased, Cho took a small amount for himself, and gave the rest to his wife to hide and sell gradually.

Defendants Xong Pa Cho and Tho Thi Gia Cua. Photo: Tran Vu

The next day, Cua sold 4 pink pills to 2 customers for 200,000 VND. When the 2 customers were about to use drugs in the cemetery area, they were discovered by the police.

From the drug user's testimony, the police searched the house and arrested Xong Pa Cho and his wife with evidence of many pink pills weighing more than 4 grams.

The court of first instance sentenced defendant Xong Pa Cho to 6 years in prison and defendant Tho Thi Gia Cua to 5 years and 6 months in prison. Afterwards, the two defendants filed an appeal asking for a reduction in their sentences.

At the appeal hearing, the two defendants maintained their appeals. Cho stated that he bought drugs to use and resell because he was addicted. Meanwhile, defendant Cua stated that he “sold drugs to get money to buy rice.”

The two defendants presented their difficult circumstances, illiteracy, and limited legal awareness to ask the court to consider reducing their sentences.

After the trial, the panel of judges determined that at the trial, the two defendants did not present any new details to request a reduction in sentence. However, after a comprehensive review of the case, considering that the two defendants were in difficult circumstances, were ethnic minorities, had limited legal awareness, and were husband and wife, the appeal was accepted and Xong Pa Cho was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison; Tho Thi Gia Cua to 4 years in prison.