Ghanaian denies swallowing 39 heroin capsules<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A Ghanaian denied yesterday that he had
\nswallowed 39 large capsules containing 450 grams of heroin as
\nstated in a police dossier.<\/p>\n
The 24-year-old defendant, Kofi Frimpong, told Central Jakarta
\nDistrict Court he received a plastic bag from a Ghanaian friend,
\nidentified as Charles, at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on
\nMay 26.<\/p>\n
\"Charles told me that the bag contained precious stones and
\ngave me the telephone number of the owner of the precious
\nstones.\"<\/p>\n
Frimpong said he then called a Nigerian, Enu Otutu Patric, the
\nnext day and met him at Pardede Hotel in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge P.A. Sianipar asked Kofi why he discarded the
\nplastic bag -- which supposedly contained precious stones -- when
\na police officer approached the two men, who were in a taxi.<\/p>\n
\"Because Patric told me to throw the bag. I asked him why but
\nhe told me to run away,\" Frimpong said.<\/p>\n
The defendant, a university student, said he only realized
\nthat the bag contained heroin when he was taken to a police
\nstation.<\/p>\n
But Patric, who was tried in a separate session yesterday,
\ntold the court that Frimpong knew the bag contained heroin.<\/p>\n
He said Frimpong had asked him to go to Jl. Jaksa, Central
\nJakarta, where many foreign tourists stay.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor S. Sitanggang earlier said that the defendants were
\ncaught by a traffic police officer who happened to be riding a
\nmotorcycle behind the taxi.<\/p>\n
Sitanggang said Frimpong admitted meeting a man, identified as
\nFredy in Bangkok, Thailand and taking the heroin from Fredy's
\ncontact in Penang, Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Frimpong had swallowed the heroin before he entered the
\ncountry via Belawan Harbor, in Medan, North Sumatra, and then
\nflew to Jakarta, he said.<\/p>\n
The defendant then contacted Patric, who is Fredy's man here,
\nafter arriving at the hotel, he said.<\/p>\n
Frimpong and Patric have both been charged under Article 23
\n(4) of Law No. 9\/1976 on Narcotics which carries the death
\npenalty.<\/p>\n
Frimpong told the court yesterday that he had acted foolishly.<\/p>\n
\"I promise I won't easily trust someone else.\"<\/p>\n
The judge adjourned the trial until Jan. 6 to hear the
\nprosecutor's submissions.<\/p>\n
\"As you are a Christian and so am I, I'd like to wish you a
\nmerry Christmas and a happy New Year,\" Sianipar said before the
\nadjournment.<\/p>\n
Frimpong even gave the judge a Christmas card that he had
\napparently prepared and they later shook hands. (jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ghanaian-denies-swallowing-39-heroin-capsules-1447893297",
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