Jayapura, Jubi – The panel of judges at the Biak District Court, Papua, convict thirty years old defendant Imanuel Wayeni who carried sixty-four pieces of 5.65-millimetre ammunition from Jayapura to Biak with four years in prison.
The judges read the verdict against Wayeni in a hearing trial held on Monday (27/1/2020). His sentence is lighter than previously charged by the prosecutor to five years sentence.
The defendant’s lawyer Imanuel Rumayom said the panel of judges give his client seven days to consider whether he will accept or summon the sentence to the High Court in Jayapura. However, Rumayom said he would challenge it after discussing it with his client.
“In our point of view, the Emergency Law no. 12 of 1951 about the ownership of ammunition and sharp weapon as accused by the prosecutor is a rubber article which commonly used to arrest indigenous Papuans,” Rumayom told Jubi via his cellphone on Monday (27/1/2020).
According to him, his client repeatedly stated to the judges that someone set him a trap. “From the start, from the investigation by police to the Court’s trial, we have asked (the authorities) to investigate the owner of these bullets,” he said.
Regarding this, he explained that when his client was at Jayapura Port to Biak, someone gave him a package to carry. His client did not know if it contained ammunition. Moreover, he said the defendant’s statement already proven in the Court.
“The prosecutor also has not been able to prove where did the ammunition come. But, due to a relevant article in the Emergency Law about the bullet’s carrier, it is so relatable to the defendant, although we are sure it did not belong to him,” he said.
Imanuel Wayeni was arrested by Biak Numfor Police at Biak Port on 4 September 2019 while en route from Jayapura City to Serui, Yapen Islands Regency on the passenger ship KM Ciremai.
At that time, the Police Chief of Biak Numfor Mada Indra Laksanta said that beside dozens of bullets, the police also seized a bayonet, camouflage pants, a camouflage shirt with Star-Flag emblem, a camouflage jacket, a camouflage hat and a pair of black shoes.
“He was arrested in the police raid at Biak Port when passengers of KM Ciremai arrived from Jayapura at around 06.30 a.m. Papua time on Wednesday (4/9),” said Police Chief Laksanta. (*)
Reporter: Arjuna Pademme
Editor: Pipit Maizier
