Two men go on trial over two ecstasy pills

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)