Girl gets 10 months for drug trafficking

JAKARTA (JP): A judge at the West Jakarta District Court sentenced on Monday a 13-year-old girl to 10 months in jail for trafficking 170 grams of marijuana.

"The defendant has been found guilty of violating chapter 82 of the 1997 Law on Narcotics," Judge M. Ismail told the court.

The chapter carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in jail and a maximum fine of Rp 1 billion (US$138,900).

The verdict was twice as heavy as the prosecutor's demand of only five months in jail.

Ismail said the defendant, Teti Haerani bin Sayum, a sixth- grade student at an elementary school in West Jakarta, was arrested by police along with her mother on Sept. 11 at their house on Jl. Angsana Raya.

"The police seized 170 grams of marijuana which was kept in a pillowcase at the house," said Ismail.

Ismail said the defendant had admitted to being the owner of the marijuana, packed in 17 paper packages.

"The defendant also admitted she had been asked by her mother to sell the drugs to those who needed them," he said at the trial session which was open to the public but only attended by the defendant's mother Nurainun Lubis, prosecutor Fachrurozy and two journalists.

Nurainun, in her 20's, is to be tried at a separate hearing.

Ismail, however, asserted that the defendant did not enjoy the revenues of the mother-and-daughter drug business.

"She admitted that all the proceeds of the sales were handed over to her mother. She got nothing," he said.

It was Nurainun who prepared the drugs for sale by putting the marijuana in three different sizes of envelopes, costing between Rp 5,000 and Rp 20,000 each, he said.

The defendant then sold the drugs as ordered by her mother, the judge said.

So far, the teenage defendant had collected at least Rp 100,000 from selling the drugs and handed all the money over to her mother, Ismail said without disclosing when the mother and daughter began the illegal business.

During the trial, Nurainun's eyes were glistened with tears. On the other hand, her daughter, sitting on the defendant's chair, seemingly knew nothing of the trial and what the verdict was all about.

Wearing a T-shirt, jeans, a red bandanna and green sandals, Teti Haerani remained silent during the entire session, and apparently was still confused about the court proceedings.

Ismail pointed out several facts that helped lighten the sentence against the young defendant.

"She is still a kid and has never faced a court sentence," he said.

However, he added, the defendant's actions endangered the future of the country's youth and was contrary to the government's drive against drug businesses across the country.

Worrying that the defendant failed to understand the verdict, Ismail was forced to explain the meaning of his judgment slowly, for the second time, at the end of the hearing.

Ismail even once directed the defendant to file an appeal to the Jakarta High Court.

"You can lodge an appeal to the high court if you wish. Do you intend to file an appeal?" the judge asked.

"I will do that, sir," Teti Haerani replied quietly.

After the trial ended, Nurainun abruptly escorted her daughter to the detention room, probably to escape the media.

It remains unknown the number of children Nurainun really has. (asa)