International Relations spokesman Clayson Monyela said Nobanda was also fined R250,000.

"Initially, she was given a 30-year sentence but that term was reduced because she was co-operative with the authorities. They reduced the jail sentence by half," said Monyela.

He said the department was in contact with Nobanda's family in South Africa.

"Through our embassy in Thailand we will continue to visit her [in jail] and give her necessary support," he added.

Nobanda, 23, from Grahamstown, in the Eastern Cape, was arrested at the Bangkok International Airport in December for trying to smuggle cocaine from Brazil to Thailand.

Police found 1.5kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of US150,000 (about R1.2 million) in her dreadlocks.

She admitted to smuggling the drugs and said she had been hired to deliver the cocaine to a customer at a hotel in Bangkok.

She has been imprisoned since then.

Nobanda was represented by a Bangkok state lawyer.

According to Grahamstown advocate, Ntsiki Sandi – who is her uncle – Nobanda narrowly escaped serving 30 years behind bars after the presiding judge reduced her sentence by half due to her personal circumstances, which were found to be extenuating.

She failed in her bid to serve out her sentence in a South African prison, close to her family.

Speaking to the Daily Dispatch shortly after sentencing, Sandi said that theoretically his niece could have received the death penalty.

Janice Bronwyn Linden, also from South Africa, received the death penalty for drug smuggling by the Chinese government at around the time of Nobanda’s arrest.

“I cannot say that we are happy with the sentence, no time in prison is good, but it could have been worse; the family had prepared themselves for worse,” Sandi said.

Comments

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Fri May 24 01:38:54 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 18, 2012

BaleliM

The family must be grateful that she is not going to be executed.
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Jun 18, 2012

Deredeemed

Eish Ja neh Crime doesnt pay.....her youth waisted bhind bars just for a quick buck?
Non the less Praise B to God that her life was spared.
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Jun 18, 2012

mia88

she's lucky they didn't giv her a death penalty bt she'll com bak old
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Jun 18, 2012

ApelMankotsana

I dont know how the justice and parole system in Thailnad work, but i am quite sure that if she was sentenced under our justice system, she would be out in 6 years. Phela here in Mzantsi prisioners enjoy much more rights and privileges than the victims...
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Jun 18, 2012

beautiful4

may be u will come back o le extra matured, o bulegile tlhogo stupid girl!!
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Jun 18, 2012

Hoshpelepelewa26Zikuphi

Thanks god for saving this sefefe amen. our prayers have been answered amen bazalwane Amen.
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Jun 18, 2012

Tabza325is

All is not lost by the time she comes out she will be 38 years of age, she can still pick her life up, a woman can still have a life at that age.
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Jun 18, 2012

Risen4romthedead

Askies shame, you've learned the lesson.

Feeling sorry for the family
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Jun 18, 2012

maftowncity

You could see the body language of our representative(Embassy), and i think that what they expected,they engaged the Thailand authorities for lenient sentence,and that 15yrs was a bargain.The sitting judge was ok, and given that Babsie cooperated,i think Babsie scored some points there...

It was a very emotional occasion, a very strong message was sent home that crime doesnt pay guys..Yanong Babsie she will come home gale maan,she will be almost 40yrs...aish...aowa ..Babsie maan...learn girl..am sure when you are out you will be ok now...you will miss Mzansi, big time...uzoba strong
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Jun 18, 2012

Secretary

This lady is too pretty. I was looking at her round eyes over the drug smuggling video. Eeeee nka modira!!
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