Nigerian soccer player on trial for heroin deal

JAKARTA (JP): A Nigerian soccer player was indicted at Central Jakarta District Court on Monday for his role in the sale of 35 grams of heroin.

Prosecutor R. Sitanggang said the 25-year-old defendant, Felix Otutu, was arrested at Hanover Hotel in Tanah Abang on Nov. 6, last year.

"Police confiscated a plastic package that contained the heroin belonging to the defendant," Sitanggang said.

Felix was arrested following a tip-off from his girlfriend, Ratna alias Arlin, who informed police on Nov. 5 that he was involved in a drug syndicate, the prosecutor said.

Police then assigned an undercover police officer, Gerry alias Yulianto, to accompany Arlin, when she met Felix at the hotel.

The court was told that Gerry mentioned to Felix that he wanted to buy heroin and gave the defendant Rp 5 million (US$606) to obtain the drugs.

Felix bought the drugs from a Nigerian friend, August, but the defendant was arrested before he gave the heroin to Gerry, the prosecutor said. August is still at large.

Outside the court, Felix denied that he was involved in a Nigerian drug syndicate, saying that he was a soccer player.

He told The Jakarta Post that he was meant to play for Persija Jakarta soccer team but he had yet to sign a contract because he had no International Transfer Certificate.

He had played with a Lebanese soccer team for four years before he arrived here.

"Bandar Lampung soccer team had contacted my former team for a transfer but there was no reply," he said. "So had Persija.

"If I hadn't been arrested, I'd probably be playing in Indonesian Football League now."

He said that he met his girlfriend in a discotheque about two months before his arrest.

Felix said he and Arlin met August, who introduced himself as a businessman, when they were at Sarinah shopping center in Central Jakarta.

Arlin often asked him to help her buy heroin, Felix said.

"I know it (buying heroin) was wrong. I helped her because I loved her. I regret that I met such a bad girl."

He said when police arrested him they seized his bag which contained his passport, a Walkman and US$10,000.

"I have nothing now, the police took it all," he said. He claimed that police also confiscated his clothes, soccer shoes and pictures from his rented house in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, some days after the arrest.

Last week, Felix rejected two lawyers provided by the police, saying that he could not trust them.

Presiding Judge I Nyoman Putra then asked the prosecutor to offer the defendant other lawyers.

Felix gave in Monday and was accompanied by the lawyers he had earlier rejected.

Sitanggang charged the defendant under Article 80 (1.a) of the Law 22/1997 on narcotics, which carries a maximum penalty of death and/or a fine of up to Rp 1 billion (US$125,000).

The trial was adjourned until next week to hear witnesses' testimonies. (jun)