Cold wind in the court

(Baonghean.vn) - The first cold wind of the season blew into the courtroom, making everyone shiver. Xia Xong quickly handed the coat to the police officer to put on her husband. The woman in her 30s quietly watched from afar, feeling sorry for her husband but helpless...

Winter has begun, the trial of defendant Vu Nhenh Khu on the morning of October 30th took place later than usual. His wife, second son and younger brother were present at the courtroom of Nghe An Provincial People's Court very early. They had to travel more than 400 km from Laos to attend the trial.

Khu's house is in Na Cua village, Vientiane village cluster, Sam To district, Hua Phan province, Lao PDR. In April, Khu was caught red-handed by the Que Phong district police (Nghe An) for illegal drug trafficking. Since then, it has been 10 months, husband and wife, father and son, brothers and sisters have not seen each other. The anxiety and anticipation were evident in every look of Khu's wife, children and siblings. When Khu was led to the dock, Xia Xong - Khu's wife burst into tears upon seeing her husband...

Khu's wife sobbed while attending her husband's trial. Photo: Phuong Thao

Khu and his family are all Lao nationals, so the panel of judges explained clearly the regulations in Vietnamese courts. Listening to the interpreter interpret the presiding judge's words and the representative of the Procuracy read the indictment, Khu's wife, children and younger brother could not hold back their tears. They did not expect that Khu's trip to Vietnam to get dental work would land him in prison.

That day was April 12, knowing that Khu would go to Vietnam to get dental work, a man named Tua Va came to Khu and said: "Bring heroin to Vietnam to sell and I will pay you 200 USD for the job." Khu did not hesitate but immediately agreed. After that, Tua Va gave Khu 1 heroin cake for 5,000 USD, 2 blocks of heroin for 5 million Lao kip. Khu took it and put it in a bag of clothes and then drove his motorbike through Thong Thu border gate (Que Phong district).

That afternoon, when going to the forest near Phu Phuong intersection, Tien Phong commune, Que Phong district, Khu wrapped all the heroin in a bag and hid it in the bushes. At about 2:00 p.m. the same day, Khu went to Vi Van Thuyen's house in Muong Noc commune, Que Phong district to make dentures and find someone to buy drugs.

After 6 days in Vietnam, he could not find anyone to buy the drugs, so at about 7:00 p.m. on April 18, Khu went to the place where he hid the drugs and then returned to Laos. At about 10:30 p.m. the same day, when he arrived at Dong Moi village, Dong Van commune, Que Phong district, he was arrested by Que Phong district police.

In court, Vu Nenh Khu confessed to all his crimes. Khu said he knew that drug trafficking was against the law in Vietnam and Laos, but because he had 7 children, he had to earn money to support them. Considering that Khu confessed honestly and repented, the panel sentenced Vu Nenh Khu to 20 years in prison - the lowest penalty for the crime of "Illegal drug trafficking".

Defendant Vu Nenh Khu in court. Photo: Phuong Thao

Hearing the verdict, Khu's wife, children, and younger brother burst into tears. His family was poor, and he had been in prison for 20 years in another country. The first cold wind of the season blew into the courtroom, which had its doors wide open. Xìa Xông quickly handed the dark blue shirt to the police officer, asking him to put it on her husband. The woman, only in her 30s, looked haggard and old, quietly watching from afar, feeling sorry for her husband but helpless...

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Xia Xong rummaged through his pocket and took out some family photos. Xia Xong approached where Khu was being held by the police and showed them to her husband. There were also photos of the children and of Khu and his wife. Xia Xong pointed at the photos and talked to her husband, smiling slightly but tears still falling.

Then came the time when Khu was escorted back to prison. Xia Xong quickly sent the photos to the police officers, so that when he missed his wife and children, Khu could take them out to look at. After Khu was taken away, Xia Xong still sat there, curled up, the image of a skinny woman far away from her husband, pitiful and pitiful...

Phuong Thao