JP/5/across10

JP/5/across10

Former official gets 8 months for drugs

BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: A district court here sentenced
a former subdistrict head on Wednesday to eight mounts in jail
and fined him Rp 2 million for his involvement in a drug case.

Usamah, 47, the former Upau subdistrict head in Tabalong
regency, was proven guilty of illegally possessing, storing or
carrying shabu-shabu (crystal metamphetamine), presiding judge
Mohammad Djuhani told the court.

Prosecutors had demanded that the defendant be jailed for one
year and fined Rp 3 million.

The panel of judges at Banjarmasin District Court said Usamah
would have to serve his sentence under house arrest, as he
suffered from heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

The court said the defendant's crime offended the people and
as a former state official, he had undermined the government's
efforts to fight illegal drugs.

Hearing his sentence, Usamah, who was accompanied by his
lawyer, said he was considering whether to appeal the verdict. --
Antara

Gun maker arrested in Bojonegoro

BOJONEGORO, East Java: Police here said on Wednesday they had
arrested Suwarto, 45, for allegedly making firearms to sell.

The suspect, a resident of Meduri village in Bojonegoro
regency, East Java, was arrested on Tuesday night after police
questioned one of his buyers, local police chief Adj. Sr. Comr.
Coki Manurung said.

He said the arrest of the buyer, identified as Sukimin, a
resident of Blimbinggede village, Ngraho subdistrict, was made
following a tipoff from local community members.

"After gathering the information, police detectives later
raided the home of Sukimin, where they discovered a gun and three
bullets," Coki added.

He said Sukimin confessed to buying the homemade gun from
Suwarto.

During a raid on Suwarto's home, Coki said, the police found a
firearm and several bullets, as well as other material evidence.

However, it was unclear whether the case was linked to
increasing crime in the regency and neighboring areas. -- Antara

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JP/5/bodrek

Official escapes bogus journalists

MAGETAN, East Java: The public relations head for Magetan
regency, East Java, has had to desert his office and go into
hiding to avoid the bogus journalists demanding money ahead of
the regental election.

For the last few days Venly Tomi Nicolas has been besieged by
bogus journalists, who are looking to get some money ahead of
Thursday's election of the Magetan regent.

The incumbent regent, Sunarto, is among those contesting the
election.

The real journalists who cover the local administration said
they understood why Nicolas went into hiding.

As of Wednesday, there was still no word on where Nicolas was
or when he would return to work. --Antara