Coetzee admitted he had agreed to smuggle the drugs for a cash fee of almost R50,000 to be paid upon his arrival in Ho Chi Minh City.
But in court he claimed the backback was not his and was only “inside my bag,” further claiming he didn’t know drug trafficking was illegal in Vietnam.
He also claimed to be schizophrenic, and was granted a postponement so he could receive psychiatric testing.
“In my entire life I’ve never managed to finish reading a book or accomplish anything,” Coetzee said, adding that his schizophrenia impaired his ability to control his actions and emotions.
Whether Coetzee’s claims of schizophrenia were legitimate is unclear.
Vietnam, where possession of 100g or more of heroin or cocaine is punishable by death, is known for having drug laws that are among the toughest in the world.
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