Man sentenced for drugs possession

TANGERANG (JP): Tangerang District Court sentenced a man on Thursday to two years in jail for drug possession.

Presiding judge Sutoto Hadi read out the verdict on 30-year- old Sayidin, who was found guilty of possessing 1.7 grams of marijuana.

The sentence was less severe than demanded by prosecutor Eka Widiyastuti, who asked the court to sentence the defendant to two years and six months in jail.

Eka said the defendant, a resident of Tangerang, was searched by patrol police officers on Jl. Pintu Karya, near Tangerang General Hospital, on May 19.

"Upon searching him, police found 1.7 grams of marijuana in his pocket," said the prosecutor.

Eka charged the defendant with violating Article 78 of Law No. 22/1997 on psychotropic substances. The article carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in imprisonment. (41)