Pakistani jailed in heroin case

JAKARTA (JP): A Pakistani man was sentenced yesterday to eight and a half months in jail and fined Rp 500,000 for being an accessory to an illegal drug transaction.

Central Jakarta District Court presiding judge Suyatno said Ali Liquat, 35, knew of the transaction of 450 grams of heroin at Wisma Bintang hotel in Tanah Tinggi, Central Jakarta, on June 17 last year but failed to report it to the police.

According to the judge, Ali had informed drug dealers Muhammad Syafiq Choudry, 39, and Muhammad Rafiq Choudry, 36, that a man named Jefri was looking for heroin.

Police detectives foiled the drug deal and arrested Syafiq and Rafiq, who are also Pakistanis, Suyatno said.

Jefri, who had agreed to pay Rp 40 million for the heroin, managed to escape.

Suyatno said Ali was arrested at a discotheque in West Jakarta on the following day. He was shot in the left leg while resisting arrest.

The court sentenced Syafiq two weeks ago to three and a half years in jail. Rafiq is still on trial at the same court.

Suyatno said Ali was guilty of violating Article 48 of the Law No. 9/1976 on narcotics.

Prosecutor Zainal Abidin earlier asked the court to sentence the defendant to one year in jail.

Both the defendant and prosecutor accepted the judge's sentence. (jun)