Former child star jailed for drugs

JAKARTA: Former child singer Joan Tanamal, now 30, was sentenced Wednesday to one year in jail and Rp 3 million fine for illegal possession of less than a gram of putauw (low-grade heroin).

Joan, accompanied by her family, looked calm and thanked the panel of judges of the South Jakarta District Court which gave her a lighter sentence than the 17-month jail sentence sought by chief prosecutor Sumino.

The defendant, who has been in detention since June 6, told reporters that she was ready to be jailed.

The daughter of musician Enteng Tanamal and the late singer Tanti Yosepha, was nabbed by the Tebet police a day after she bought the heroin from dealer Dewi Andarini, who will be tried separately.

Joan has pleaded guilty, saying that she had used drugs for three months because of "personal problems."

Presiding judge Syamsul Ali said that the court gave harsh sentences to drugs users and dealers because it had become the state priority to combat drugs. --JP