The Indonesian criminal justice system allows appeals by defendants and prosecutors when the convicted party considers the sentence handed down in a trial too harsh or when prosecutors feel the punishment handed down by the Court is too lenient. After the appeal process, sentences initially meted out by the Court can be affirmed, abolished, enhanced, or reduced.
The ability of the State and convicted criminals to challenge sentences was demonstrated when the Public Prosecutor in Buleleng, North Bali, filed for a formal review of a 20-year prison sentence and Rp. 2 billion fine handed down against I Gede Krisna Paranata, also known as “Ode.” in a high profile narcotics conviction. Unsatisfied with the sentence, Prosecutors are now asking the Court to increase that punishment to death before a firing squad.
As reported by Kompas.com, Ode, a recidivist with numerous drug convictions, was sentenced to life in prison in a verdict delivered by the Court on Thursday, 14 March 2024.
While Prosecutors want to see Ode punished with death, his defense team has filed the necessary appeal to see his 18-year prison sentence substantially reduced.
Ode was found guilty before a Singarajai Court of organizing the delivery of 58,799 ecstasy pills while he was imprisoned in the North Bli prison.
The spokesman for the Buleleng Prosecutor’s Office, I Dewa Gede Baskara Aryasa, confirmed that prosecutors had filed the paperwork with the Singaraja Court for final review before the High Court to see the man’s life sentence upgraded to execution before a firing squad. Aryasa continued, explaining: “The consideration was that the life sentence was less than the death penalty demanded in Court by prosecutors.”
State prosecutors are also appealing two other prison sentences for Ode’s accomplices, I Gusti Ngurah Bagus Tri Adhi Putra, also known as Pongek, and Dewa Alit Krisna Meranggi Putra.
The case presented before the panel of judges detailed how, on 26 June 2023, Ode, while still imprisoned in Singaraja, sought someone to fetch a car loaded with ecstasy pills in Denpasar. “Pongkek contracted Bimbim,” or Bimantha Wijaya, to drive a white Toyota Agiya used to transfer the drugs to Alit in Pancasari Village in North Bali.
Police subsequently seized the car containing a suitcase containing the 58,799 ecstasy pills.
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