Planting 9 Marijuana Trees, Giovanni Biondi Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison

JAKARTA - A man from Jakarta, Giovanni Biondi (30), was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing and storing 1.7 kg of marijuana. Giovanni also planted nine cannabis trees while in Bali.

"To try, to imprison the defendant Giovanni Biondi with a prison sentence of 10 years reduced while the defendant is in detention and a fine of IDR 1 billion subsidies 3 months in prison," said the panel of judges chaired by Angeliky Handayani Day in a virtual trial at the Denpasar District Court, Bali, quoted by Antara, Thursday, February 25.

The panel of judges found the defendant guilty of a narcotics crime, namely controlling narcotics class I in the form of plants weighing more than 1 kg and exceeding five trees.

The defendant's actions are listed in Article 111 paragraph (2) of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning narcotics, in the second alternative indictment.

The verdict was lighter than the demands of the public prosecutor, who previously demanded 15 years in prison, a fine of Rp1 billion and a subsidiary of six months in prison.

The defendant, who was accompanied by the Posbakum legal adviser at the Denpasar District Court Ni Wayan Pipit Prabhawanty, stated that he accepted the verdict. Public prosecutor I Wayan Meret also stated that he accepted the verdict handed down by the panel of judges.

In the prosecutor's indictment, it was explained that members of the Bali Police arrested the defendant at a Banjar Anyar Kelod villa, Kerobokan Village, North Kuta District, Badung Regency in October 2020.

The overall evidence found from the defendant was eight packages of marijuana weighing 1,767 grams net and nine cannabis trees.

Evidence was found at two crime scenes, namely a villa in Banjar Anyar Kelod, Kerobokan Village, North Kuta District, Badung and a cottage room in Peliatan Village, Gianyar Regency, Bali.

"That none of the defendants sold or distributed them to other people and the defendant's goal was to buy large quantities of marijuana for long-term stock and the defendant bought it at a low price for his own consumption," explained prosecutor I Wayan Meret.

The cannabis narcotics package received by the defendant was obtained from a person named Joni and was included in the wanted list (DPO).