Saudi faces jail for drug possession

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)