Deceased drug dealer had HIV/AIDS, say Police

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The city police announced on Monday that Nigerian Izuchukwu Okoloaja, alias Kholisan Nkomo, 25, a drug suspect arrested last year for trafficking 5.9 kilograms of heroin, had died after being HIV-infected.

"We have received the results of the medical checkup, which concluded that he was HIV-positive," said Comr. Agus Mulyadi, head of the city police drugs and hazardous chemicals section.

The infection, Agus said, might have contributed to the deteriorating health condition of the suspect and led to his death.

Okoloaja died on Sunday morning at Raden Said Soekanto Police Hospital, Kramatjati, East Jakarta.

Dr. Andreas Lala, who carried out an autopsy on Okoloaja's corpse, confirmed that HIV/AIDS infection had severely damaged the Nigerian's state of health, leading to his death.

Andreas said that he found some of Okoloaja's organs, such as his liver and thyroid, were swollen and showed signs of malnutrition.

"However, we have yet to reach a final conclusion over the cause of death ... We found no signs of torture," he said.

Concurring with Andreas, Agus played down allegations that Okoloaja had died of physical abuse at the hands of police investigators.

Agus alleged another suspect, Marlena, who died in police detention last December, had infected Okoloaja. Marlena also tested HIV-positive, although medical reports declared that she had died from respiratory problems on Dec. 17.

Marlena had reportedly been living with Okoloaja. The Ambonese woman was arrested at Regency Melati Mas housing estate in Serpong, Tangerang, on Aug. 22, 2002. Police seized 50 grams of heroin from her.

Marlena's arrest led police to capture other suspects -- Okoloaja, Michael Titus Igweh, 23, and Hillary K. Chimezie, 33. Police managed to confiscate 5.9 kilograms of heroin from the last three.

Okoloaja is one of three defendants released by the Tangerang District Court, which dropped charges on Feb. 4, citing legal technicalities.

The judges said the prosecutors had wrongly identified Okoloaja by his alias, Kholisan Nkomo. According to his Nigerian passport and other documents, his original name was Okoloaja.

As a consequence, the other two defendants, Igweh and Chimezie, also both Nigerians, were freed from all charges.

However, one day after the release, police recaptured the three, arguing they had sufficient evidence to detain them.