Two men go on trial over two ecstasy pills

JAKARTA (JP): A prosecutor at the Central Jakarta District Court indicted on Friday a man in his fifties and a friend in his forties who were arrested for allegedly possessing two ecstasy tablets last December.

"Defendant Abdul Kadir, along with his accomplice Franky Delarosa, were arrested at Hotel Puri Raya Mega on Jl. Pramuka Raya in Central Jakarta on Dec. 2, last year, for possessing two ecstasy pills," said prosecutor Amri Sata in the initial hearing of the case presided over by Judge Manis Sudjono.

Franky, a 42-year-old businessman, was also present as a defendant.

The prosecutor said the police arrested the two men at the hotel after receiving a tip-off from the public.

"The police checked out the information and searched for illegal drugs in a room in the hotel," he said, adding that Kadir and Franky were watching television when the police entered the room.

The police found the pills lying on the table.

"The defendants admitted that they had shared their money to buy the pills," he said.

The prosecutor said the two men had violated article 62 of the 1997 Law on Psychotropic Substances. The article carries a maximum sentence of five years in jail and a maximum fine of Rp 100 million (US$14,285).

During the hearing, Judge Manis Sudjono reprimanded the prosecutor for his failure to present witnesses and evidence.

"The prosecutor has acted irresponsibly. How do you explain such behavior to both the defendants?" the judge asked.

The prosecutor turned silent for a while. After about five minutes he replied softly, "I have forgotten."

The judge told the defendants, "The prosecutor should have invited the witnesses, but he did not."

Prosecutor Amri said after the hearing that it was a court convention that the initial hearing of a case only heard the prosecutor's indictment.

"The court usually hears the prosecutor's indictment at the initial hearing. The witnesses' testimony and the examination of evidence are usually held at the following hearings," he said.

The judge adjourned the hearing until March 3 to hear testimonies from witnesses.

Weapon

In a separate hearing at the court, Alex Wirawan was sentenced to five months in jail for carrying sharp weapons in public.

Alex, a 24-year-old parking attendant, was taken to the police after he tried to attack an unidentified person, also a parking attendant, at Kafe Tenda Senayan food court in Central Jakarta at midnight on Dec. 25 last year.

Judge I Gde Sumitra said while reading the verdict that the defendant had quarreled with the person after accusing him of cheating him in a gambling game.

The defendant attempted to pull a knife out from his jacket.

"Witness Ibnu Saifudin, who tried to calm the two people down, saw what the defendant was doing and called other people to arrest the defendant," the judge said.

The defendant was indicted for carrying sharp weapons before the public, a violation of article 2 of the 1951 Law on Emergency, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in jail. (asa)