TEMPO.CO, Medan - The Medan district court sentenced four people to death for carrying 40 kilograms of crystal meth.

"The court sentences the four defendants to death penalty," said sitting judge Phillip Mark Soentpiet at the Medan District Court, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.

The four defendants are Benyamin Sembiring (39) and Senta Sitepu (40), both residents of Namotualang Village, Sibiru-biru District, Deliserdang Regency; Puji Minarto Nasution (40), a resident of Jalan Kelambir 5, Medanhelvetia District, Medan City; and Sahrial (36), a resident of Dusun 1, Desa Seiapungjaya, Tanjungbalai District, Asahan Regency.

The judges found that the four drug couriers violated Article 114 paragraph (2) of the Narcotics Law in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.

The court recognized no mitigating factors that would have played a part in a lighter sentence for the couriers. Meanwhile, the defendants' actions were declared unsupportive of the government's anti-drug program as well as causing public concern, which contributed to the aggravating factors for the sentence.

After reading the verdict, the judges gave the defendants and the public prosecutor a week to respond to the verdict. "Please state your position, whether to file an appeal or accept the verdict," said Phillip.

Public prosecutor Friska Sianipar immediately conceded to the death penalty, as it aligned with her demands. Previously, she demanded the maximum sentence of life imprisonment or the death penalty for the four defendants under Article 114 paragraph (2) and Article 112 paragraph (2) of the Narcotics Law in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code. "Each is sentenced to life imprisonment or the death penalty," said Friska.

The four defendants were arrested by the North Sumatra police on October 14, 2024. Two days before the arrest, a man named Koher, who is currently on the Wanted List, contacted the defendant Puji to pick up the crystal meth from Tanjungbalai City. The defendants then rented a car and left with the defendant Sahrial.

Upon arrival in Tanjungbalai, the two defendants met three men sent by Koher. They handed over two sacks containing 40 packets of crystal meth. After the handover, Puji and Sahrial returned to Medan City. The next day, on October 13, 2024, they were instructed by Koher to deliver one sack containing 20 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine to the defendant Benyamin in Sibiru-biru District.

"Another sack was instructed by Koher to be delivered to Cemara Asri. It was during this delivery that the defendants' car was chased by the police. Puji and Sahrial were arrested and admitted to having delivered 20 kilograms to the defendant Benyamin Sembiring," said the prosecutor.

Police then arrested Benyamin Sembiring, who confessed to having handed over the crystal methamphetamine to the defendant Senta Sitepu. The defendant was caught storing 20 kilograms of crystal meth in the kitchen.

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