A Perth grandmother and indigenous community leader has told a Japanese court she was “deceived” after being found with almost two kilos of methamphetamine in her luggage at Narita Airport near Tokyo.

Donna Nelson faced the first day of her trial on Monday, after being arrested in January 2023 when drugs were found hidden in her luggage.

She has spent the past two years without direct communication with her family, aside from a brief court appearance earlier this year.

While holding back tears, she told the Chiba District Court: “I didn’t know there was methamphetamine in the luggage.

Ms Nelson’s defense team argued she was the victim of a romance scam and tricked into taking a baggie containing methamphetamine.

“She thought she was coming to Japan for her love story,” her daughter Kristal Hilaire told media outside court.

“She had no other intention than that and that’s what we need everyone to know and hear in court this week.”

The methamphetamine was found hidden in a false bottom of his suitcase, with an estimated street value of $728,000.

The court found there was no doubt Ms Nelson had the drugs on her, but there was disagreement over whether she knew they were in her suitcase.

Loading…

Ms Nelson picked up the suitcase in Laos, on her way to Japan to meet an online lover, known as “Kelly”.

Kelly was described as a Nigerian living in Tokyo.

The two men had been in contact for two years but had never met in person.

Family ‘trying to be strong’

Ms Nelson was convinced to exchange her luggage for a new bag in Laos, believing it only contained samples of clothes Kelly needed for her business, defense lawyer Nishida Rie said.

“She’s a great mother,” Ms. Nishida said.

“She was raising children. She also had a great job and was in a serious romantic relationship.”

Ms Hilaire said her family was showing courage.

“I just try to be strong because when mom looks at us, I want her to feel our strength and she will feed off that,” she said.

Ms Nelson was chair of the Aboriginal-run Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service, a position she has since been removed from, and the Greens candidate for Pearce in the 2022 federal election.

A verdict is expected on December 4.

Loading