Thai gets life sentence for drug trafficking
Thai gets life sentence for drug trafficking
JAKARTA (JP): Judge R.P.A. Mangkoediningrat of the Central
Jakarta District Court sentenced yesterday to life imprisonment
Sae Lim Iaw, a Thai national, for his involvement in a drug
trafficking case.
"The board of judges has agreed to imprison defendant Sae Lim
Iaw alias Boon Tan for life because he is found guilty for his
involvement as one of the parties who imported and tried to sell
the banned substance here," judge Mangkoediningrat said.
Before the judge read his verdict he asked Boon Tan to stand
up and after reading the verdict, the defendant, accompanied by
his interpreter, made a deep Thai-style bow to show his respect.
Boon Tan looked calm as the judge asked him whether he
understood the verdict, then informed Boon Tan he had the right
to appeal to a higher court.
Boon Tan and his lawyer told the judge that the defendant will
use his right of seven days to decide whether or not to file an
appeal.
Prosecutor Meity Joseph, who had requested Boon Tan be given
the death penalty, also told the judge that she will use her
seven days to think whether or not an appeal to a higher court is
necessary.
"I cannot decide now whether or not I have to report on this
verdict to my superior first," she said.
The judge said, the fact that Boon Tan had played a minor role
in the drug case had made the board of judges give the defendant
a lighter sentence.
Boon Tan was caught by the police in the Hotel Indonesia,
Central Jakarta, on May 11, as he and two accomplices, Tham Tuck
Yin alias A Tjai, a Malaysian, and Freddy A Thing, a local, were
showing a sample of the 29 kilograms of heroin to a potential
buyer.
A Tjai was sentenced, by the same court, to death on Jan. 17.
In previous court sessions, Boon Tan denied that he was
involved in the drug case because he was paid by another Thai,
Thamanoon Saepho, to be an interpreter for his man, A Tjai, who
did not understand the buyer's language, Hokkian.
Boon Tan said he was not aware that the meeting was the
negotiation of a drug deal until the police raided room 433 in
Hotel Indonesia.
However, Boon Tan's statement was denied by Freddy, who said
that it was Boon Tan and A Tjai who played major roles in the
heroin deal.
Boon Tan admitted that the heroin itself was owned by
Thamanoon, who had ordered A Tjai to transport it by a small boat
from Thailand to Belawan Port in Medan, North Sumatra, before
bringing it by bus to Jakarta.
A Tjai then hid the heroin in Freddy's house on Jl. Patriot in
Bekasi.
The drug raid is the biggest heroin bust in Indonesian
history. The second largest drug haul was recorded seven years
ago in Samarinda, east Kalimantan, when police captured a Thai
national with 17.7 kilograms of heroin.
A number of foreigners were given the death penalty last year
for trafficking heroin in Indonesia.
In June, West Jakarta District Court sentenced 39-year-old
Chan Tin Chong of Malaysia to death for attempting to smuggle 429
grams of heroin into Indonesia.
In Medan last September, the North Sumatra District Court also
sentenced two Thai nationals, Sealow Prasert, 55, and Namsong
Sirilak, 22 as well as an Indian, Ayodya Prasat Chawbey, 53, to
death after they were found guilty of smuggling 12.19 kilograms
of heroin. (mas)