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Sat, 22 Sep 2001

JP/Supreme Court asked to uphold death penalty for drug dealers

Supreme Court asked to uphold death penalty for drug dealers

TANGERANG (JP): A prosecutor has asked the Supreme Court to uphold the death sentence for three major drug dealers who were found guilty of possessing 11.5 kilograms of heroin.

Prosecutor Asnawi made the statement on Thursday at the Tangerang District Court during a hearing that was based on the convicts' request to the Supreme Court to review the case.

The court sentenced Deny Setiawan Maharwan, 28, Rani Andriani, 25, and Meirika Franola, 31, to death in August last year.

Lawyer Dini Nurbayati asked the Supreme Court to review their case, arguing that her clients deserve a lighter sentence as they had given information that led police to smash a drug-trafficking syndicate.

Earlier this year, police shot dead Franola's Nigerian husband, Tony, alias Tajudin, and arrest several other Nigerians who were members of the syndicate.

Detective police officer Insp. Sumingga testified on Thursday that he captured Rani and Deny, on Jan. 12, 2000, as they were about to board a flight to London at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The two said that the 3.5 kilograms of heroin and three kilograms of cocaine found in their bags belonged to Franola, who had accompanied them to the airport. Franola was arrested as she headed toward the airport parking lot.

Police found another 3.5 kilograms of drugs when they searched Franola's house in Taman Yasmin housing complex in Bogor. She claimed that all of the drugs belonged to her husband Tony.

Prosecutor Asnawi said all the reasons made up by the convicts were nonsense since they should have realized that being in possession of and trafficking in drugs was against the law in the country.

The three convicts appealed to the Supreme Court on Sept. 10, 2000; on April 18 the Supreme Court rejected their appeal.

The request to review the case was filed at the Supreme Court on Jan. 10, 2001.

If the Supreme Court rejects a lightening of the sentence, the convicts still have a chance to avoid the death sentence by asking for Presidential clemency.(41)