Junaidi, 35, and another 44-year-old Singaporean, Mohd Yusri Bin Mohd Yussof, were arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen in 2015 after methamphetamine was found in a cargo they transported for a man named Nigeria . Chibuzor Onwuka, she claimed to have met online.

Singaporean woman Siti Aslinda Binte Junaidi faces the death penalty in China and will be executed by the firing squad within a few weeks unless the court overturns the sentence.

Junaidi, 35, and another 44-year-old Singaporean, Mohd Yusri Bin Mohd Yussof, were arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen in 2015 after methamphetamine was found in a cargo they transported for a man named Nigeria . Chibuzor Onwuka, she claimed to have met online.

Siti Aslinda Bent Junidi CNN

Both were convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to death in July 2020. Yusri's sentence was suspended for two years, which means it could be downgraded to life imprisonment. Aslinda is believed to have played a more active role in the crime, and if her final appeal is unsuccessful, she will face execution (which can be heard at any time).

According to CNN, court documents show that on October 24, 2015, Aslinda and Yusri were intercepted by customs officials in Shenzhen.

A search of their suitcases revealed that 28 women’s handbags had more than 11 kilograms (24 pounds) of methamphetamine sewn into the lining. If sold per gram, the amount of methamphetamine in the United States may be as high as $220,000.

Both denied any knowledge of drugs. Aslinda told the court that she met Chibuzor Onwuka when she was looking for a job online at the end of 2014, who offered her a generous commission to ship the goods from China to Cambodia. About once or twice a month, Aslinda said she would pick up the goods in Guangzhou and then fly to Phnom Penh with them.

It is not clear whether Onwuka has been arrested, and the court documents only state that his case is being "treated separately." He could not be reached for comment.

The goods she transported are usually lingerie, handbags and toner cartridges. Although Aslinda admitted to having doubts about the plan, she told the court that she believed Onwuka’s explanation that these handbags were sold to well-known people in Cambodia and profited. rich.

In July 2015, Aslinda introduced Yusri to Onwuka, and the two began to move goods together. They said that Onwuka paid them between US$2,000 and US$3,000 per trip, as well as their airfare and hotel expenses. By the time they were arrested, they had already taken two trips together.

During the trial, the judge rejected the two people's arguments that they did not know what was in the handbag, and ruled that they either knew or should have known the contents because of the "extraordinarily high pay" for shipping goods overseas.

The judge said that they were told that the complicated way of travel-from Guangzhou to Hong Kong, via Shenzhen and then Phnom Penh-should also arouse suspicion because of direct flights to the Cambodian capital.

Her legal team said that Aslinda’s case is being appealed to the Guangdong Higher Court. If the court does not overturn the sentence, her death sentence may be executed within a few weeks.

Neither the Guangdong prosecutors nor the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to requests for comment.

When referring to a similar case earlier this year, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that China "imposed the death penalty for extremely dangerous drug-related crimes to help deter and prevent such crimes."

"Chinese law stipulates that every criminal is equal in the application of the law," said spokesman Zhao Lijian.

"Chinese judicial organs handle cases involving criminals of different nationalities in accordance with the law."

At the same time, returning to Singapore, her family is desperately trying to save her destiny through diplomatic channels and China's legal system, where acquittal is very rare.

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