2-year sentence sought for drug supplier

JAKARTA (JP): A prosecutor demanded a two-year jail term on Tuesday for drug defendant Rizal Indra Kresna, 36, who allegedly provided comedian Doyok Sudharmaji with the drugs which led to his arrest.

"The defendant has violated Article 62 of the 1997 Law on psychotropic substances, regarding drug possession. He is guilty of possessing 2.5 grams of shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine)," prosecutor Rita Kesuma Fitra told the hearing at the Tangerang District Court.

The hearing was presided over by Judge Asmin.

Article 62 of the Drugs Law carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail.

Police detectives had earlier charged Indra with being the supplier of shabu-shabu to Doyok, himself a defendant in a separate drugs trial in the district court.

Rizal's indictment stated that Doyok had paid him Rp 150,000 for the drugs, meaning that Rizal should have been charged under Article 60 paragraph 2 of the 1997 Law on psychotropic substances, regarding drug suppliers.

This Article also carries a maximum punishment of five years in jail.

Doyok had earlier confessed that he was merely a drug user.

Police detectives arrested the comedian in late July at his home in the Lippo Karawaci area of Tangerang, after receiving a tip-off from the public about his involvement with drugs.

The detectives raided his house and found the drugs on a dressing table. They were packed in five small parcels, each containing 0.5 grams of shabu-shabu.

The comedian had earlier testified at a preliminary hearing that he only owned 0.5 grams out of the 2.5 grams of shabu-shabu seized by police. (41/ylt)