Medan District Court Judge Sentences 56.13 kg Cannabis Courier to 20 Years in Prison

Medan (ANTARA) - The panel of judges at the Medan District Court (PN Medan), North Sumatra, has sentenced defendant Hendra Gunawan (38) to 20 years in prison for acting as a courier of 56.13 kilograms of narcotics in the form of cannabis.

Presiding Judge Eliyurita at the Medan District Court said on Wednesday that the defendant had been legally and convincingly proven guilty of violating Article 114 paragraph (2) of Law Number 35 of 2009 on Narcotics in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code in conjunction with Law Number 1 of 2026 on Penal Adjustments.

“Trying, imposing upon the defendant Hendra Gunawan a prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of Rp1 billion, subsidised by 190 days’ imprisonment,” she said while reading out the verdict.

The panel of judges considered aggravating circumstances, namely that the defendant’s actions caused public unrest and had the potential to damage the nation’s generation. Meanwhile, the mitigating circumstance was that the defendant is the main breadwinner for his family.

Following the verdict, both the defendant and the Public Prosecutor (JPU) from the Belawan District Attorney’s Office, Nurliza Fitriyani Br. Angkat, stated they would appeal the decision.

The sentence was lighter than the prosecution’s demand, which had earlier asked the panel of judges to impose life imprisonment on the defendant.

Based on further investigation, police found 56.13 kilograms of cannabis as evidence, stored at the house of a man named Paisal, who is now on the wanted persons list (DPO).

According to the defendant’s testimony, the cannabis was picked up from the Penyabungan Timur District area in Mandailing Natal Regency and was to be handed over to a recipient named Fuhruzen, who is also listed as a DPO.

“The defendant admitted he was promised a payment of Rp700,000 per kilogram if he successfully delivered the cannabis,” said Public Prosecutor Nurliza.