Between 1999 and 2001, Hazel
Francis Ngubeni who served as South African’s high commissioner to Singapore,
served a jail sentence in the US. According to Sunday Times, a South African
newspaper, Ngubeni waas convicted for smuggling a bag of cocaine while working
as a cabin attendant for South African Airways.
The newspaper reported Ngubeni,
55, who at the time went by the name Francis MacDonald, was dismissed after her
arrest in New York.
“She was arrested, convicted and
sent to jail, which made her unable to render any service to her employer,” the
newspaper quoted Tlali Tlali, SAA spokesman, as saying.
Ngubeni reportedly admitted the
conviction but claimed she had been wrongfully jailed after a
“strange bag was
found in my luggage”.
The Sunday Times also reported
that Ngubeni had previously been arrested on September 20, 1995, at OR Tambo
International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa.
She was charged with smuggling
9kg of heroin into South Africa from Thailand, also while employed as a cabin attendant
for SAA, but was acquitted in January 1997 after a key witness – reported to be
a diplomat from Mozambique – refused to testify against her.
The newspaper reported that
Ngubeni initially refused to comment but later admitted she was arrested at OR
Tambo airport in 1995.
The South Africa government later
fired her.
Amid the rift between Nigeria and
South Africa over the recent xenophobic attacks, Naledi Pandor, South African
minister of foreign affairs, said many Nigerians in her country are involved in
drug trafficking. She said South Africans believe Nigerians are harming the
country’s young people.
Pandor’s comment had irked
Geoffrey Onyeama, her Nigerian counterpart, who accused her of fuelling
xenophobia.
The xenophobic attacks had forced Nigeria to
pull out of the World Economic Forum in South Africa. The federal government
also summoned Bobby Moroe, South Africa’s high commissioner to Nigeria, and
also dispatched a special envoy to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
South African businesses were
attacked in reprisal attacks in Nigeria, forcing MTN to close its offices
nationwide. Shoprite outlets were also placed under lock. The Nigerian
government had condemned the attacks while Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of
police, ordered massive security around foreign businesses.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com