Medan District Court Judge Sentences 2 Couriers Of 20 Kg Of Crystal Methamphetamine From Riau To Life In Prison

The presiding judge Denny Lumbantobing (center) read out the verdict at the Medan District Court, North Sumatra, Wednesday (30/8/2023). (ANTARA/M Sahbainy Nasution)

The panel of judges at the Medan District Court, North Sumatra, sentenced the defendants Cituan alias Atik and Erwan Sahputra alias Iwan from Riau in the case of being couriers of narcotics weighing 20 kilograms of methamphetamine and 30,000 ecstasy pills.

"Imposing and adjudicating the defendants Cituan alias Atik and Erwan Sahputra alias Iwan for life," said presiding judge Denny Lumbantobing while reading the verdict reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, August 30.

The panel of judges in the verdict stated from the facts of the trial of the two defendants as regulated and threatened with criminal sanctions Article 114 paragraph (2) of the Republic of Indonesia Law No. 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code.

"The thing that burdens the two defendants does not support the government's program in eradicating drugs and destroying the nation's generation, while the thing that relieves the defendant is that he regrets his actions," said Denny.

This decision is lighter than the demands of the Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the North Sumatra High Prosecutor's Office, Maria Fr.Br Tarigan, with the death penalty.

After reading out the verdict from the panel of judges on legal counsel (PH), the defendant Cituan filed an appeal, while the Public Prosecutor of the North Sumatra Prosecutor's Office Maria Tarigan thought about it for seven days.

Meanwhile, for the decision, Erwan Sahputra, the Public Prosecutor, Maria, made an appeal, as well as the defendant Erwan's legal adviser (PH).

In the indictment, the two defendants were ordered by Anyang (in the investigation) to take methamphetamine from the Bakao River, Bagan Readyi-api, Riau to Pekan Baru and North Sumatra.

Then Allabis alias Awi (in the investigation) was ordered by Anyang to meet Erwan and Cituan in the Bakao River area to deliver the methamphetamine and ecstasy on March 30, 2023.

In short, Allabis gave a burlap sack containing 20 plastic packs weighing 20 kg of crystal methamphetamine, six white plastic packs containing 27,000 ecstasy pills, and blue plastic containing 3,000 ecstasy pills.

On April 1, 2023 at around 00.10 WIB, police officers from the North Sumatra Police Narcotics Directorate arrested the two defendants at the exit of the Pekan Baru Toll Gate, Muara Fajar Village, Rumbai Kota District, Pekanbaru.

Furthermore, police officers searched the car and found a sack in which there was a carton containing 20 kg of crystal methamphetamine and 30,000 pills of ecstasy, and the two defendants were taken to the North Sumatra Police for further information.