Ghanaian denies swallowing 39 heroin capsules

JAKARTA (JP): A Ghanaian denied yesterday that he had swallowed 39 large capsules containing 450 grams of heroin as stated in a police dossier.

The 24-year-old defendant, Kofi Frimpong, told Central Jakarta District Court he received a plastic bag from a Ghanaian friend, identified as Charles, at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on May 26.

"Charles told me that the bag contained precious stones and gave me the telephone number of the owner of the precious stones."

Frimpong said he then called a Nigerian, Enu Otutu Patric, the next day and met him at Pardede Hotel in Central Jakarta.

Presiding judge P.A. Sianipar asked Kofi why he discarded the plastic bag -- which supposedly contained precious stones -- when a police officer approached the two men, who were in a taxi.

"Because Patric told me to throw the bag. I asked him why but he told me to run away," Frimpong said.

The defendant, a university student, said he only realized that the bag contained heroin when he was taken to a police station.

But Patric, who was tried in a separate session yesterday, told the court that Frimpong knew the bag contained heroin.

He said Frimpong had asked him to go to Jl. Jaksa, Central Jakarta, where many foreign tourists stay.

Prosecutor S. Sitanggang earlier said that the defendants were caught by a traffic police officer who happened to be riding a motorcycle behind the taxi.

Sitanggang said Frimpong admitted meeting a man, identified as Fredy in Bangkok, Thailand and taking the heroin from Fredy's contact in Penang, Malaysia.

Frimpong had swallowed the heroin before he entered the country via Belawan Harbor, in Medan, North Sumatra, and then flew to Jakarta, he said.

The defendant then contacted Patric, who is Fredy's man here, after arriving at the hotel, he said.

Frimpong and Patric have both been charged under Article 23 (4) of Law No. 9/1976 on Narcotics which carries the death penalty.

Frimpong told the court yesterday that he had acted foolishly.

"I promise I won't easily trust someone else."

The judge adjourned the trial until Jan. 6 to hear the prosecutor's submissions.

"As you are a Christian and so am I, I'd like to wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year," Sianipar said before the adjournment.

Frimpong even gave the judge a Christmas card that he had apparently prepared and they later shook hands. (jun)