A Nigerian, Izundu Lotanna Chukwudi, found guilty in southern Vietnam of attempting to retail methamphetamine and sentenced to 18 years in jail has won his appeal to get the term shortened by one year.

An appellate court in Ho Chi Minh City cut the jail term for Chukwudi, 42, after a hearing Tuesday, citing limited consequence of the illegal trade, e.vnexpress.net reported

The previous verdict handed last September said Chukwudi came to Ho Chi Minh City to work as an English teacher in 2008 and met a fellow Nigerian called Bruno in 2013, who persuaded him to sell drugs for some extra income.

In January 2014, Bruno gave Chukwudi 400 grams (0.88 lb) of methamphetamine and asked him to sell for at least $2,800 per 100 grams. A month later Chukwudi was busted in the city’s backpacker area as he was trying to sell the drugs to a Vietnamese for up to $4,000.

Vietnam has some of the world’s toughest drug laws. Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5kg of methamphetamine face the death penalty.

The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is also punishable by death.