Two Nepalese sentenced to death over drugs

TANGERANG (JP): Tangerang District Court sentenced on Thursday two Nepalese nationals to death for drug trafficking.

The men, identified as Til Bahadur Bhandari, 24, and Bahadur Gurung, 32, were convicted of smuggling 1.764 kilograms of heroin in 204 capsules in their stomachs.

In the final hearing presided over by Judge Tufsani Djafri, it was stated that the men were arrested last July 30 at Soekarno- Hatta International Airport.

"The airport's customs and excise officials were suspicious of Bhandari and Gurung because they were anxious to leave immediately, while both were sweating profusely and appeared pale. The officials apprehended them for drug tests," Tufsani said.

They were charged under Narcotics Law No. 22/1997 which carries maximum sentences of the death penalty or life imprisonment, and a fine of Rp 1 billion (US$142,860).

"Although they have behaved well and shown remorse during the trial, there are no mitigating circumstances for the two defendants. They have violated the narcotics law. They contributed to a crime that is ruining a generation of the country," Tufsani said.

The prosecutor earlier demanded 18-year prison terms for the men, who appeared shocked by the death sentence. They burst into tears and lowered their heads when translator Suherman told them the verdict.

Suherman immediately appealed the sentence.

"This is inhumane and we certainly are lodging an appeal," he said. The defendants' lawyer, John Kalangit, did not attend the final session.

The men were arrested shortly after their arrival on SQ-164 from Bangkok. They swallowed heroin packed in capsules of Immodium, an antidiarrheal medicine.

Airport officials also found Immodium capsules in their bags, which the men said they were taking to treat headaches.

Laboratory tests of their urine samples revealed the presence of heroin.

They were later taken to Kramatjati Police Hospital where the rest of the drug was discharged.

Thursday's death sentence was the second to be imposed on drug defendants this year. Tangerang District Court sentenced in January two Nepalese to death for a drug trafficking offense also committed in July last year.

Nar Bahadur Tamang, 59, and Bala Tamang, 30, were convicted of attempting to smuggle 554 grams of heroin into the country.

In the final hearing with Judge Satria Us Gumai presiding, it was asserted that the two defendants swallowed a total of 73 capsules of Immodium packed with heroin. (41/edt)