Judge sentences man to 14 years

TANGERANG (JP): The Tangerang District Court sentenced Munawar, 32, on Tuesday to 14 years in jail for possessing 111.5 kilograms of marijuana.

According to a panel of judges, Munawar was caught carrying the narcotics to a rented Mitsubishi Colt on Jl. Sudirman No. 16 in Tangerang by a group of military district officers on July 7 last year.

Munawar was on his way to transport the narcotics.

He was about to leave a local bus terminal when he was arrested by the military officers from the Tangerang District Command, the judge said.

Munawar and all of the evidence have been handed over to Tangerang Police for further processing.

The defendant was in direct violation of Narcotics Law No. 22/1997, which carries the death penalty or a maximum of life imprisonment and a fine of Rp 1 billion for organized drug- related felonies, and a maximum of 15 years imprisonment and Rp 150 million in fines for individual charges.

Munawar's defender Silvester Djuma said his client was considering whether to make an appeal. (41/edt)