Saudi faces jail for drug possession

JAKARTA (JP): A Saudi citizen was indicted at Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday for possessing 2.09 grams of dried marijuana.

Prosecutor Agus Widodo said the defendant, Khalil L.M. Al- Gahtani, 39, was arrested on July 27 in a police raid in front of Taman Ismail Marzuki art center on Jl. Cikini Raya in Central Jakarta.

Agus said the defendant was caught unawares by police while he was on his way back to the nearby Alia Hotel with a friend identified as Aditya.

"The defendant threw an envelope containing the marijuana out of the window of his taxi just before it was stopped by police officers," he said.

He said the envelope was later recovered by one of the officers.

Agus charged the defendant with violating Article 78 of Law No. 22/1997 on narcotics, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and a fine of Rp 500 million (US$66,666).

Khalil, who was not accompanied by a lawyer, seemed dissatisfied with the hearing.

Presiding judge Pangeran Siregar informed the defendant that the court would provide a lawyer, but Khalil, through an interpreter, refused the offer, saying that he was not guilty.

He appeared on the point of raising a protest when the session was hurriedly closed by Siregar.

The trial will be continued next week, when witnesses' testimonies will be heard. (jun)