Kenyan gets 15 years

Kenyan gets 15 years

MEDAN, North Sumatra: The Medan District Court sentenced
Joseph Karanja Kamau, a 32-year-old Kenya citizen, to 15 years in
prison after he was found guilty of trafficking 73 capsules of
heroin weighing 800.15 grams.

The verdict, which was read out by presiding judge Anwar
Zahri, was more lenient than the prosecutor's demand of the death
penalty.

Prosecutor Mardiana Sianturi filed an appeal.

The defendant expressed his relief upon hearing the verdict.
His lawyer, Zuhdi Lubis, said that his client was happy not to
have received the death penalty.

Kamau was arrested by customs and excise officers at Polonia
Medan airport on Oct. 22, 2002. It was found that he had
swallowed 73 capsules containing heroin.

He claimed that the heroin belonged to his friend Ahmad in
Qatar. He was only told to carry the drugs to Medan and hand them
over to someone for US$10,000. -- JP