THe Appeal Court on Thursday heard the case of a teenage girl sentenced to five years imprisonment on drug trafficking charges.

The 17 year old, a student at the time of her arrest, has not been identified. She was caught in possession of 101.9g of methamphetamine in Banteay Meanchey province’s Poipet town on September 30, last year.

The incident occurred when the girl’s brother-in-law Hem Khun, 40, ordered her to deliver a purse to a woman in the town’s Kbal Koh village. The teenager was then arrested before delivering the purse, which contained methamphetamine.

After she was detained, the girl led police to Khun’s house where an additional 4,090 methamphetamine pills were found. Khun and the teen’s sister, Sieng Chan Trea, fled before police arrived.

In their absence on May 28, Banteay Meanchey provincial court sentenced Khun and Chan Trea to 25 years imprisonment, along with a 20 million riel ($5,000) fine.

The 17 year old was sentenced to five years imprisonment and ordered to pay an eight million riel ($2,000) fine.

At Thursday’s Appeal Court hearing the girl tearfully said she did not have a father, so was staying with her brother-in-law and sister. She said she was not aware of the purse’s contents when she delivered it.

“I asked the judge to reduce my punishment, so I can go back school,” she said.

A verdict will be issued on January 10.