Four months for smoking marijuana

JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta District Court sentenced a female gymnastics teacher yesterday to four months in jail for smoking and possessing 0.2 grams of marijuana.

Presiding judge Asmar Ismail said the defendant, identified as Wanda, 41, was arrested with her boyfriend in a taxi on Jl. Eks Bandara Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, after leaving a discotheque on Sept. 25.

Asmar said he hoped that the sentence would encourage the defendant to improve her behavior and he told her not to consume marijuana again.

"As a gymnastics teacher you should teach your students a healthy way of life. How can your students believe you if you do such a bad thing."

Wanda, a widow, could barely utter a word when she heard the verdict but later thanked the judge for giving her a light sentence.

Prosecutor DP. Siahaan had asked the court to sentence Wanda to six months in jail.

Wanda was charged under Article 23 (3) of Law No. 9/1976 on narcotics which carries a maximum penalty of six years in jail and a fine of Rp 10 million (US$1,818).

Wanda told police that she had only smoked marijuana once and got a headache after smoking it, the prosecutor said. (jun)