Malaysian Citizen Who Smuggled Methamphetamine In His Stomach When He Came To Bali Was Sentenced To 8 Years In Prison

The defendant Arqam Bin Zulkafli (28) was standing in the detention room temporarily after undergoing a verdict trial at the Denpasar District Court, Bali, Thursday (25/1/2024). ANTARA/Rolandus Nampu

The Denpasar District Court panel of judges sentenced to eight years in prison for a foreign national (WNA) from Malaysia, the defendant Arqam Bin Zulkafli (28) because he was proven to have infiltrated methamphetamine in his stomach.

The verdict was read by the Chairman of the Panel of Judges Putu Sudariasih and his friends during a trial at the Denpasar District Court, Thursday (25/1), which declared the defendant legally and convincingly guilty of having or controlling narcotics class I, not plants, which weighed more than five grams.

The defendant was proven to have violated Article 112 paragraph 2 of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 35 of 2009 concerning narcotics as the first alternative for the Public Prosecutor.

"The trial sentenced the defendant Arqam Bin Zulkafli to 8 years in prison reduced while in detention with the defendant's order to remain detained," said Judge Putu Sudariasih as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, January 25.

In addition to corporal punishment, the Malaysian foreigner is also required to pay a fine of Rp. 1 billion, subsidiary to four months in prison.

The judge's decision is two years lower than the demands of the Public Prosecutor where at the trial held on Monday, January 8, 2024, the Public Prosecutor charged the defendant Arqam Bin Zulkafli with 10 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 1 billion, subsidiary to 8 months in prison.

Upon the verdict handed down by the panel of judges, the defendant accompanied by his team of legal advisors from the Peradi Denpasar Legal Aid Center (PBH) stated that he accepted.

"We accept Your Honor," said Desi Purnani Adam as a member of the defendant's legal advisor.

Meanwhile, the Public Prosecutor stated that he was still thinking about it and considering the decision.

Previously, the indictment revealed that Malaysian foreigner Arqam Bin Zulkafli was arrested on September 13, 2023 at the Arrival Terminal of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali. He just got off the Air Asia plane on the Kuala Lumpur-Denpasar route, Bali.

Arqam's attempt to smuggle methamphetamine was thwarted by Customs and Excise officers at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Tuban, Badung.

During the examination, the Customs and Excise officer suspected that Arqam had prohibited items in his body. After further examination, it turned out that it was true that the defendant brought methamphetamine wrapped in condoms and put it in his stomach.

A number of narcotics items of methamphetamine were removed from his stomach where the perpetrators used four condoms to smuggle 172.18 grams of methamphetamine.

After that, the perpetrators and evidence were brought to the Bali Provincial National Narcotics Agency for follow-up. Based on the results of police interrogation, Arqam claimed to be a courier hired by a goods owner named Asri to be taken to a person named Rahman in Bali.

Arqam admitted that he was promised a salary of 2,000 Malaysian ringgit if he succeeded in delivering the goods to customers in Denpasar, Bali. Of this amount, Arqam only got 800 Malaysian ringgit while the rest will