Deceased drug dealer had HIV/AIDS, say Police
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.