Prosecutors demand death sentence for drug suspect
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Prosecutors have demanded the death penalty for a Dutch citizen accused of producing and trafficking millions of ecstasy pills between September 1999 and March 2002.
Prosecutors Martha P. Berliana, Roskandi and Vidianto, who alternately read out the sentence demand, also asked the court to fine defendant Ang Kiem Soei, 50, alias Kim Ho, alias Ance Tahir, alias Tommy Wijaya, Rp 100 million.
Ang Kiem Soei, a resident of Utrecht, Netherlands, was born in Fak Fak, Irian Jaya. He allegedly operated two home laboratories -- believed to be among the world's largest -- on Jl. Imam Bonjol 79A, in the Karawaci district, and on Jl. KH. Hasyim Ashari 26, Cipondoh district, both in Tangerang. Both factories produced hundreds of thousands of ecstasy pills a day.
Prosecutors cited several factors justifying their demand, including that the defendant had poisoned the future generation of the nation with drugs, he spoiled the country's image and he ignored the campaign against drug abuse. There are no mitigating factors that warrant a lighter sentence, they said.
The prosecutors said Ang Kiem Soei had ordered some of the chemicals necessary for making ecstasy from a man named Leo Chandra, who is still at large, while other substances were imported from Shanghai.
The defendant first produced ecstasy pills in a house he rented from a man called Tanujaya in Karawaci. In September 2001, he rented another house in Cipondoh.
Ang Kiem Soei was arrested on April 6, 2000, at the Hotel Borobudur, Central Jakarta, following a tip from one of his accomplices, Tommy Palembang, who was shot dead by police for trying to evade arrest hours before Ang Kim Soei was taken into custody.
During the raid, the police seized a total of Rp 2 billion in various currencies, including S$4,200, HK$5,670, US$200,000, Yuan 10,500 and Rp 200 million.
Prosecutors said the defendant had violated Law No. 5/1997 on psychotropics and the criminal law.
The defendant did not show any expression on his face after hearing the prosecutors' demand. He said he left his fate up to his lawyers.
Presiding judge M. Hatta Ali postponed the session until Tuesday for the lawyers to prepare their defense.
The defendant was accompanied by four lawyers, led by Syahrizal Damanik.
Outside the packed courtroom, hundreds of school students and activists from the Solidarity for Tangerang Islamic Community (SMIT) and the local chapter of the Anti-Narcotics National Movement (Granat) staged a rally demanding the death sentence for the defendant.
Soon after prosecutors finished reading out their demand, some of the activists sang a song titled Syukur (Gratitude).
Since January 2000, the Tangerang District Court has sentenced to death 22 drug traffickers, including five Indonesians, six Nigerians, five Nepalese, three Thai women, a Pakistani man, a Zimbabwean and a Malawian.