Three years sought for Ecstasy man

TANGERANG (JP): The prosecutor in the trial of a man charged with attempting to smuggle 60,778 Ecstasy pills asked the Tangerang District Court yesterday to sentence the defendant to three years in prison.

Prosecutor Muhamad Daud also asked the court to fine Rachman Chaniago, 45, Rp 3 million.

The trials of three other defendants, Julianto Arief Indrajya alias Yanto, 30, Ronny Soewoyo, 41, and Mrs. Okki Suryani ,31, who are Rachman's alleged accomplices, were postponed because the prosecutor was not yet ready to read his sentence demands.

Julianto was charged with helping Rachman carry the suitcase containing the pills at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, while Ronny and Okki were accused of giving Rachman 35,000 gilders to buy the pills from someone named Freddy in Amsterdam.

The prosecutor told presiding Judge Yustinar that Rachman was guilty of attempting to smuggle the pills from the Netherlands into Indonesia.

He said the defendant arrived at Soekarno-Hatta airport on April 28 on a Garuda flight, carrying the pills in a suitcase.

But his smuggling attempt was foiled by the customs and excise officials who apprehended him shortly after his arrival, the prosecutor said.

The trial was adjourned until Monday when the defendant's lawyer, Johny Purba, will read his defense statement. (28/bas)