Defendant In Case Of Illegal Cigarette Ownership In Makassar Sentenced To 16 Months In Prison Fines Rp302, 7 Million

The atmosphere of the trial for the case of illegal cigarette ownership without excise stamps in the reading of the verdict against the defendant Ukkas (right) at the Class IA Makassar District Court, South Sulawesi. BETWEEN ANTARA/HO-Documentation of the South Sulawesi High Prosecutor's Office.

The Makassar Class I A District Court Judges sentenced the defendant Ukkas to 1.4 years in prison for the case of ownership of 176,000 illegal cigarettes that were not attached to excise stamps and a fine of more than IDR 302.7 million. "The panel of judges and the Public Prosecutor agree that the defendant Ukkas' actions were proven to have violated Article 54 of Law Number 11 of 1995 concerning Excise as amended by Law Number 39 of 2007 concerning Excise," said Head of the Information and Law Section of the South Sulawesi High Prosecutor's Office Soetarmi in Makassar, as reported by Antara, Friday, November 17. The verdict is much lower than the demands of the Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the South Sulawesi Prosecutor's Office on October 16, 2023. The public prosecutor asked the Panel of Judges to impose a two-year sentence and demand that the defendant pay a fine of more than Rp. 302.7 million. In addition, the Public Prosecutor also demanded that evidence in the form of a Silver-colored pickup truck with Police Number DD 1792 QA, a Motor Vehicle Certificate (STNK) on behalf of the owner Abdul Haris, be confiscated for the state. Furthermore, one unit of Android mobile phones was also confiscated for the state, tobacco excise goods (smoking) Cigarette Kretek Machine (SKM) brand GESS Executive totaling 22 koli or the same as 880 flops with a total of 8,800 packs with a total of 176,000 sticks seized for destruction.

Based on the decision of the Makassar Court of Judges, the Public Prosecutor and the defendant Ukkas still expressed their thoughts. However, it is very likely that the Public Prosecutor will file an appeal against the decision.