Life of Guangzhou - Nigerian Drug Trafficker Given Death in South China

A Nigerian national convicted of drug trafficking was sentenced to death in a final verdict delivered by the Higher People's Court of south China's Guangdong Province on Tuesday, the Nanfang Daily reported.

Chinese national Zhang Dongxiang rented a room in Baiyun district of Guangzhou city in July 2007 and started to cohabit with Osonwa Okey Noberts from Nigeria. In early 2008, after learning the Nigerian was a drug trafficker, Zhang rented an adjacent room to serve as the dealing place for drug trafficking with Osonwa Okey Noberts, the court heard in the second trial of the case.

From February to April 2008, Zhang Dongxiang and Osonwa Okey Noberts sold nearly six kilograms of heroin to lower-tier drug dealers Wu Xianjun, Wu Wei and Jiang Xuzhi.

Wu Xianjun, who trafficked nearly 4kg of the drug, was also sentenced to death but was given a two-year reprieve for having provided information that was used to break another case. Zhang Dongxiang and Jiang Xuzhi were also given the death sentence with two-year reprieves.

Police also confiscated guns and bullets from Wu Xianjun and Jiang Xuzhi during the arrests of the drug dealers.

Another six traffickers were given jail terms ranging from five to 15 years.

Osonwa Okey Noberts, Zhang Dongxiang and Jiang Xuzhi were given death sentences by the Dongguan Intermediate People's Court in June last year.

The Guangdong Higher People's Court upheld the convictions issued in the first trial but reduced the sentences on four of the convicts after taking into consideration their appeals, the report said.

Under China's criminal law, those who smuggle, traffic, transport or manufacture more than 50 grams of heroin face 15 years to life in prison or the death sentence.

[More Guangzhou News]