Chaubey's execution sends shock waves

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung

The execution of drug convict Ayodhya Prasadh Chaubey has sent a shock waves through the family of Rani Andriani alias Melissa Aprilia, 29, who is on death row for drug trafficking.

Rani's relatives said they were deeply afraid that the death of Rani was imminent, following Chaubey's execution by firing squad last week in Medan. Chaubey, an Indian national, was executed after he was convicted of smuggling heroin into Indonesia over 10 years ago.

Neli, the sister of Rani, disclosed that her parents -- Andi Sopandi and Nani -- were in a great distress because they would soon lose their eldest daughter Rani.

Rani, who was convicted of smuggling and possession of heroin, is waiting for the final decision over her clemency request from the President.

"We don't want to lose her. We hope the government grants her clemency," said Neli, who spoke to The Jakarta Post recently from Batam. Neli is now living and working with her mother Nani in Batam, while her father is living near the family home in Ciranjang area, Cianjur regency, West Java province.

Neli said that after Rani was convicted, the family was interviewed by lots of media people and became the center of attention. They were very uncomfortable with it, mostly because it gave endless ammunition to their neighbors who were ceaselessly gossiping about Rani.

Because of the social pressure, Andi Sopandi was forced to move away from the family home to a house belonging to Andi's father, also in Ciranjang.

Imas, the younger brother of Andi, said recently that Andi had become much closer to God and prays that Rani can be granted clemency.

Rani is one of three drug convicts from Cianjur, who were sentenced to death by the Tangerang District Court in 2002.

The two others are Meirika Franola, 36 and Deni, 32, who are also Rani's relatives.

The three have asked for clemency, and the clemency proposals from Meirika and Deni have already been rejected by the President.

Neli still holds out hope that the President will grant clemency to Rani. Neli said that Rani's role in the drug case in 2000 was not very clear, so she should have been acquitted.

Rani was arrested on Jan. 12, 2000 at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, along with Meirika and Deni while attempting to smuggle 3.5 kilograms of heroin into the country. The police also discovered three kilograms of heroin in Meirika's rented house in Taman Yasmin housing complex, Bogor.

According to Neli, Rani was only with Meirika at the airport because she was offered a job in a garment factory abroad. "But, she was arrested along with Meirika at the airport."

Meirika was previously married and worked with a Nigerian man named Tony, was accused of being a member of an international drug syndicate. Tony was shot and killed by the police.

Deni was a civil servant with the Cianjur regency administration, and was found guilty of aiding and abetting Meirika's drug trafficking.

Unlike Neli, who spoke openly with the media, the family of Meirika has spurned media requests for interviews. Aang Hidajat, the father of Meirika, who lives in Cianjur, refused to comment.

Aang has become wary of all journalists after a tv station breached an agreement with the family. The tv producers said they would not show his face when the interview was aired, but they still did.

When The Jakarta Post tried to interview him at his house recently, he rejected the interview offer.

"I am sick and tired of this. All my interviews have been published and aired, so you don't need to interview me again," he said.

Neli said that she had lost contact with the family of Meirika after the three went on trial.