Prosecutors Charge Death Convicts In Drug Cases With Money Laundering Articles

Uzama (46) possession of 25 kilograms of methamphetamine case trial / Antara

JAKARTA - The Palembang Prosecutor's Office has charged a death row convict in possession of 25 kilograms of shabu-shabu Uzama (46) with committing a crime of money laundering (TPPU) from the sale and purchase of drugs.

The Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the Palembang Kejari, Rini Purnamawati, said on Wednesday that there were tens of billions of cash transactions from the narcotics dealer business run by the defendant, consisting of various accounts including a BCA account in the name of the defendant.

"Based on data on bank account mutations, Uzama has received money from narcotics transactions worth Rp. 6.9 billion and 7.6 billion," he said during a virtual hearing at the Palembang Special Class IA District Court, reported by Antara, Wednesday, June 2.

The trial chaired by Chief Justice Touch Simanjuntak, the Public Prosecutor stated that the money was received by the defendants Juanda, Misran, Anggi and Bayu, who are currently serving their sentences.

The money from the narcotics transaction that went into the defendant's account was given to his couriers during the narcotics business, and given to his 'boss' through messengers.

The Public Prosecutor charged Uzama with Article 3 of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 8 of 2010 concerning the Prevention and Eradication of the Crime of Money Laundering and five alternative articles with a criminal penalty of up to five years in prison.

While the defendant, through his legal adviser from the Palembang District Court Posbankum, has yet to determine the filing of an exception to the indictment, the trial will continue next week with the agenda of witness statements.

Previously, the defendant Uzama was sentenced to death by the Palembang District Court judge, Erma Suharti, on April 16, 2020 in the case of the arrest of 25 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and 1940 pills of ecstasy in Palembang City by the National Narcotics Agency of South Sumatra Province.

He was sentenced to death along with other convicts, Andi Eka (35).

The South Sumatra BNNP first arrested defendants Yuswadi and Andi in separate places in August 2019, Yuswadi, who came from Aceh, was arrested after receiving 1,940 ecstasy pills from defendant Andi at the Damri Pool KM 9, Palembang City.

Not long after, the BNNP arrested Andi in his contract in Ogan Ilir Regency and officers found 23 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and four packs of thousands of ecstasy pills.

Yuswadi and Andi were accomplices to defendant Uzama who were later arrested in Indragiri Regency, Riau Province, also not long after their arrest.

From the results of the examination, it was known that Uzama was an accomplice to a large city with the initials M from Batam, the illicit goods were obtained from Malaysia and are planned to be distributed in the South Sumatra and Lampung regions.