Two Nigerians, a Cambodian and a Filipino charged with conspiring to traffic cocaine from Brazil to Cambodia told the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday that they were unknowingly complicit in the alleged crime.
Nigerians Emmanuel Thankgod and Michael Sunshine, both 31, Filipino Macoy Mavill Villamor, 42, and Meng Sinuon, 30, were arrested in February after Ms. Macoy was found with 2.5 kg of cocaine at the Phnom Penh International Airport.
“My friend gave a case to me [to transport from Brazil to Cambodia] and told me that it was jewelry. She did not mention that drugs were hidden inside,” Ms. Macoy told Presiding Judge Heng Kesaro.
Ms. Sinuon said that in February, a Nigerian man she did not know had simply asked her to take $500 to Ms. Macoy at the Luxury World Hotel in Phnom Penh, which she agreed to do for a $20 commission.
The two Nigerians, who were arrested with Ms. Sinuon at the hotel, said the fact that they were arrested with no drugs in their possession proved they were not guilty.
Judge Kesaro said a verdict in the case would be handed down on September 16.
