Judges at the Medan District Court in North Sumatra have sentenced a becak (pedicab) driver to death for attempting to transport heroin.
The pedicab driver, identified as 44-year-old Zulkifli from Medan Tembung, was found guilty of violating Article 114 paragraph 2 the 2009 Narcotics Law for acting as a middleman in the attempted sale of 52 kilograms of heroin.
“We hereby sentence the defendant, Zulkifli, to death,” presiding judge Saidin Bagariang said during a hearing on Thursday.
One of the incriminating factors, the judges said, was that his crime went against the government’s efforts to eradicate the illegal drug trade.
Zulkifli’s lawyer, Sri Wahyuni of the Menara Keadilan Legal Aid Foundation, said Zulkifli would take a week to think about whether to accept or appeal the verdict.
On Dec. 10, 2019, a National Narcotics Agency (BNN) officer arrested Zulkifli while he was riding his pedicab to deliver two packages of heroin to a person identified as Alwi. Zulkifli was arrested before he was able to deliver the drugs to Alwi.
After his arrest, the pedicab driver told investigators that he had more drugs at his home. The agency discovered 49.96 kilograms of heroin and Rp 60 million (US$4,085) in cash at Zulkifli’s house. (dpk)
