Widow slides into sin, lonely in court

Illiterate, parents and husband deceased, that is the background of defendant Luong Thi Yeng (born 1968), residing in Luong Minh commune, Tuong Duong district. This female defendant was prosecuted and brought to trial for the crime of “Illegal drug trafficking”. Notably, this is not the first time Yeng has appeared in court for drug trafficking.

Luong Thi Yeng is the fifth child in a family of six siblings. Having not been to school, Yeng is illiterate. Working on the fields all year round, this woman is confined to her village life. Growing up, like many other mountain girls, Yeng got married early and had three children. However, a difficult life continued to follow this family when Yeng's husband passed away.

Defendant Luong Thi Yeng on the day of her arrest. Photo: Tran Vu

Poverty and ignorance of the law, Yeng closed her eyes and fell into a life of crime. In 2006, Luong Thi Yeng was sentenced to 3 years in prison for illegal drug trafficking. If Yeng's excuse of limited legal awareness was acceptable for her first crime, then the fact that sherelapseThe second time made many people fed up. Accordingly, in 2018, Yeng reoffended drug trafficking and was sentenced to 8 years in prison.

Having been in prison twice, Yeng understands better than anyone the provisions of the law and the price to pay for making money illegally, especially when it comes to drug-related activities. However, this woman continues to reoffend. Accordingly, when a strange woman asked to buy 15 packets of pink phien and 300 grams of crystal meth for 175 million VND, Yeng agreed.

To have drugs to sell to customers, on July 26, 2022, Yeng rode a motorbike to the Dua village area, Luong Minh commune, Tuong Duong district to buy drugs from an unknown man for 40 million VND. This widow calculated that if the transaction was successful, she would "profit" up to 135 million VND.

After purchasing the drugs, Yeng brought them home and hid them in a bush near the roadside. That same day, Yeng called the customer to inform them that she had the “goods” and set a time and place for delivery. Late that night, this woman brought more than 552 grams of drugs to the meeting point in Xa Luong commune to prepare to deliver them to the customer when she was caught red-handed by the police. The customer who bought the drugs quickly left the scene.

At the online trial, the defendant confessed and admitted to the crime. Yeng wiped away tears several times and explained his difficult circumstances. The defendant admitted that if this deal was successful, he would make a profit of more than 4 times the investment. The defendant also explained that he was in trouble and had no money, so he bought drugs on credit. "My husband has passed away, my children are helpless, I ask the court to reduce my sentence," the defendant stated.

During the trial, the defendant also asked the Trial Panel to return the motorbike used to commit the crime. According to the defendant, the motorbike was purchased by the mother and daughter together. However, the representative of the Procuracy exercising the right to prosecute at the trial said that there was no basis to return the motorbike to the defendant. Because during the investigation, the authorities had invited the defendant's daughter to work many times to verify. However, this person did not come and currently does not know where she is or what she is doing. Meanwhile, the motorbike's papers are in the defendant's name. Therefore, there is no basis to return the motorbike to the defendant but confiscate it according to regulations.

At this trial, the defendant's children were not present. Her parents and husband had passed away, leaving only her children. However, on the day their mother was brought to trial, those children did not come to the court to cheer her up. The day she was sentenced alone made this woman cry.

The defendant expressed his “regret”. But it seems that the two words “regret” are now too late when the defendant has twice lived the life of “prison food, numbered clothes”. And there are regrets that take all of one’s youth, half of one’s life to correct mistakes. If Yeng had known to correct his mistakes after his previous failures, if Yeng had known to stop and find an honest job to support his children, then perhaps things would have been different. Yeng’s regret now is really too late.

Defendant Luong Thi Yeng at the online trial. Photo: Tran Vu

The panel of judges determined that the defendant's actions were dangerous to society. Drugs are a great threat to the whole society, causing harm to health, degrading the race and human dignity, destroying family happiness, seriously affecting social order, safety and national security. The defendant had been imprisoned for drugs but did not take that as a lesson for herself, continuing to fall. After considering the entire case, the panel of judges sentenced the defendant Luong Thi Yeng to 20 years in prison for the crime of illegal drug trafficking.

The cold weather during the last days of the year in the detention camp made Yeng's desire to reunite and meet her children and relatives burn more than ever. Who knows, when she is "alone" behind bars during the Tet holiday, will this woman who has been on the path of crime ever wake up!?