Jobless men in drug trial

JAKARTA (JP): Two jobless Jakartans traded accusations in court yesterday over who gave whom the heroin they were being accused of possessing.

Eko Irianto, 35, and Fadil Thahjono, 34, were indicted on similar charges of possessing 0.2655 grams of heroin at separate hearings at the Central Jakarta District Court.

Possession of the drug is an offense punishable by up to five years imprisonment under the 1976 Narcotic Law.

Accusations flew when they were each called to testify in the other's trial.

Eko said he had never used drugs before and that Fadil had offered him the heroin.

Eko said that Fadil was the smarter of the two. "He has an engineering degree. I only did what he told me to, " he said.

Fadil, however, insisted in his testimony that Eko had bought the heroin and had taught him how to use it.

The two men were arrested in Menteng on May 13 with two envelopes of heroin. They confessed to the arresting officer that they were going to use the drug and not sell it.

They said that they had only known each other for three days.

Both trials were adjourned until next week. (12)