REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- A Nigerian citizen has been sentenced to 20 years in jail and fined Rp1.2 billion for facilitating narcotic drug distribution.

"Arinze was proven to have conspired to commit an evil act by becoming a facilitator in the distribution of Category I narcotic drug," chief judge of the West Jakarta district court, Bambang Mursito, said while reading out the verdict here on Wednesday.

In view of that, the panel of judges that had considered all the facts disclosed during the sessions, sentenced him to 20 years in jail and imposed a fine of Rp1.2 billion. If he fails to pay the fiine, he will have to serve six months more in jail.

Upon hearing the verdict, the state prosecutor, Nugraha, said he was yet to make up his mind whether to accept it or not. The prosecutor had asked for a death sentence.

Through his lawyer, Arinze Petrus Eneh said he was satisfied with the judges' decision but said he, too, has to decide whether to appeal.

"In principle, we are satisfied with the verdict. However, we would think and consider about appealing it," the lawyer, Dolfie Rompas, said.

Arinze alias Zona, along with Tuti Sudartika alias Dede Rosa and Rojali Pajar Saputra (the two were tried under different dossiers), were involved in a case of illegal possession of 6.3 kilograms of methamphetamine.

Arinze, who is currently being held at Salemba Penitentiary in Central Jakarta in a narcotic case still under judicial process, was ordered by a man named John (still at large) to pick up narcotic drug from China and bring it to Indonesia.

He then asked Tuti and Rojali, (earlier informed by David, at large) to carry out the job.

The drug, weighing 6.3 kilograms, was smuggled in a thermos flask through a Covenant Logistic expedition in Cengkareng, West Jakarta, and then kept in a kiosk in Cibinong, Bogor, West Java.

The state prosecutor has charged all the suspects with violation of Law Number 35 of 2009 on narcotics because they attempted to commit an evil act of smuggling a narcotic substance by becoming facilitators in the distribution of drugs and therefore deserved a death penalty.

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