Nigerian gets 7 years for heroin

JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta District Court sentenced a Nigerian man to seven years in jail yesterday and ordered him to pay a Rp 1 million (US$83.3) fine for possessing 190 grams of heroin.

Presiding judge Pieter Purba said the defendant, Ekwulu Uche Ozor -- alias John Amuche Chukwu Wkhulu -- was found guilty of possessing the heroin, which was sent via the mail.

"The defendant made conflicting statements during the trial and never admitted the heroin was his," Pieter said. "These factors were taken into consideration when imposing the sentence."

But the defendant's polite behavior during the trial was a mitigatory factor, he said.

John was arrested at the city's General Post Office in Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta when he tried to pick up a package on May 3, last year.

The package -- sent from Thailand -- contained four T-shirts and the heroin.

The package was addressed to Peter Brendan at Hotel Istana Bungur on Jl. Bungur Besar in Central Jakarta, but there was no one with that name staying at the hotel.

Pieter found the defendant guilty under Article 23 (5) of Law No. 9/1976 on narcotics.

Prosecutor Zaenal Abidin had asked the court to sentence the Nigerian to 10 years in jail and a fine of Rp 1 million.

Zaenal and John's lawyers are considering whether to appeal the judge's decision. (jun)