Woman gets five years for drug

TANGERANG: A housewife jumped up jumped up in happiness Tuesday soon as the Tangerang District Court sentenced her on to five years in jail for drug dealing and the possession of 6.5 grams of putauw (low grade heroin).

"Thank God. I thought I'd be sentenced to death like all the other 17 drug defendants," said Sri Lestari, 29, who held her head low and sobbed during the court session presided over by judge Ade Komarudin.

She said she would not appeal to a higher court.

Since January 2000, the court has sentenced to death 17 drug dealers.

Prosecutor Misnar Mawardi charged the defendant with violating Article 82 of Law No. 22/1997 on drugs. The article carries a maximum punishment of death. But he only asked the court to give her six years in jail.

The defendant was arrested by a team of South Jakarta Police detectives who conducted a raid at her house on Jan. 23, following a tip from her neighbors. The police seized nine plastic packets containing the white powder drug.--JP