REPORTASE JAKARTAJAKARTA, The legal team consisting of Anggiat Anju Hutasoit SH, Ronauli Silaen SH, R Achmad Zulfikar Fauzi SH, M Yudho Febriaddin SH, Ahmad Zauhari Putra SH, and Husor Hutasoit SH sent a letter to the President of the Republic of Indonesia at the State Palace in Jakarta. Letter number 018/RSP-SP/XI/2023 dated 7 November 2023 regarding a request for assistance to Udechukwu Frederick Okeakpu and Odinakachi Kelechi Cixtus who were arrested by the Directorate of Narcotics Investigation (Ditresnarkoba) of the Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Police (Polda) to be released because accusations without evidence.
Jointly and severally, based on a power of attorney dated 1 November 2023 acting for and on behalf of Udechukwu Frederick Okeakpu and Odinakachi Cixtus Keleci as the principals are explained.
All advocates with office addresses at Grand Emerald Apartment Number 52 LG Floor on Jalan Pegangsaan 11 Number 3 (Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta – 14240) explained.
Their client, on behalf of the two people, was not arrested based on the development of information from the Narcotics Directorate of Polda Metro Jaya who named him a suspect and has been detained at the Cipinang Detention Center (East Jakarta) since February 2023.
The team of lawyers suspects that this happened due to carelessness or recklessness in the investigators who arrested and detained their client. The two clients were businessmen in Indonesia who were arrested and detained simply by receiving false information from those who had previously been arrested for committing drug crimes.
The attorney wanted to set the record straight and express a strong protest regarding the unprofessionalism of the investigators from the Narcotics Directorate of the Metro Jaya Police, where their client was not the person in question, namely Mr Sunday, who carried out international transactions with the Indian Mafia to send 1 kilogram of drugs received by Sari Eka Fitria at Soekarno International Airport. Hatta on February 16 2023. Their client was arrested on February 17 2023 and the two foreign nationals (WNA) were arrested only on the basis of transferring money from the exchange of rupiah currency to Nigerian currency, namely Naira.
Among the Nigerian community, their two clients are known to help exchange rupiah currency into Naira currency to make transactions easier for Nigerian citizens to send money to their families in Nigeria if there is an urgent need.
On February 14 2023, their client named Udechukwu was called by Mr Sunday that he needed Rp. 1,500,000 (One million five hundred thousand rupiah) because someone wanted to pay. However, at that time, Udechukwu said that he did not have rupiah because the shop’s sales business was not good.
Not long after that, their client named Odinakachi called Udechukwu saying he wanted to exchange his rupiah for Naira because he was going to send it to his father who was seriously ill. Then, Udechukwu called Mr Sunday to tell him that a customer needed Naira to be sent to Nigeria. Mr Sunday then gave his girlfriend’s BCA account number in the name of Sari Eka Fitria with the number 4390469719. At that time, Udechukwu gave the account number in the name of Sari Eka Fitria to Odinakachi so that the exchange money would be transferred to the account given by Mr Sunday and sent proof of the money transfer. to Udechukwu. After that, proof of transfer was sent to Mr Sunday and Mr Sunday sent the money in Naira to a bank account in Nigeria in the name of his older brother Odinakachi named Chigozie Uchenna Eseatum. All evidence was attached to the trial that the money was money from exchanging rupiah currency into Naira currency and had nothing to do with the alleged drug business.
He emphasized that Udechukwu’s client is a businessman who owns a shop that sells African food, so he has many customers who come from Africa. Mr Sunday is one of Udechukwu’s customers. In fact, the testimony of defendant Sari Eka Fitria and defendant Kristovel Pasaribu stated that neither of them knew each other’s clients. The person who ordered them and who knew them was Mr Sunday.
As the attorney for Udechukwu and Odinakachi, the legal advisor asked for the fairest possible justice from the President of the Republic of Indonesia because this case has entered the international realm and many people have followed this case and previous cases that the team of lawyers handled and have become an international highlight.
What is Indonesian law like in the eyes of the world if it judges innocent people for transferring money just to exchange currency? And there is no connection with the alleged drug business. Was it wrong if the two clients helped send money to their father who was seriously ill at that time? And now, his father has died and he doesn’t know when and where he is buried. Is it wrong for a child to want to serve his parents by helping with medical expenses for his father who is seriously ill? Don’t because the client is a black foreigner so that they are used as “sacrifice” and “discrimination” so that all black foreigners are beaten equally as perpetrators of crimes in Indonesia.
On this basis, the legal advisory team asked the President of the Republic of Indonesia to reprimand and cancel the suspect’s determination and release him from the Cipinang Detention Center. As legal counsel, we will take all legal measures if it is forced, which could result in disruption of good diplomatic relations between businessmen from Nigeria as investors in this nation.
The letter to the President of the Republic of Indonesia was copied to a number of related ministries and institutions, including the Minister of Law and Human Rights, Commission III DPR-RI, Ombudsman, Prosecutor’s Commission, Kompolnas, National Police Headquarters in Jakarta, related agencies, and archives.
Both Udechukwu Frederick Okeakpu (38 years) and Odinakachi Cixtus Kelechi (38 years) provided special power of attorney to accompany and provide legal assistance to the power of attorney as defendants in the trial at the South Jakarta District Court based on the Determination Letter of the Chairman of the South Jakarta District Court with case registration number 370/ Pid.sus/2023/PN JKT.SEL and case register number 373/Pid.sus/2023/PN JKT.SEL dated 06 July 2023.
At the trial, Fita Fitrallah SH as the Public Prosecutor (JPU) expressed his belief that the two clients of the legal advisor were guilty of committing the crime of “attempting or conspiracy to commit acts without rights or against the law, offering for sale, selling, buying, receiving, being an intermediary in selling -buy, exchange or hand over class I narcotics in non-plant form weighing more than 5 (five) grams.”
Ronauli Silaen SH and Anggiat Anju Hutasoit SH and their team are lawyers from Ronauli Silaen & Partner. All team members appeared to defend criminal case number 367/Pid.sus/2023/PN JKT SEL which had David Ibeneme Ejizu (56 years) as the defendant at that time. The hammer knock of the Chief Judge, I Dewa Made Budiwatsara SH MH on Tuesday evening, October 3 2023 also shocked the public. A decision that slaps legal institutions, namely the prosecutor’s office and the police. The prosecutor did not carefully determine the charges or the defendant. A relay performance from investigators in the police produced bitter results. The international world is also highlighting it. The fragrant name of Indonesia was scratched back in black streaks. Will the performance of investigators from the Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Police and the Public Prosecutor again tarnish the name of Indonesia which has been tarnished again by such performance? Time will tell. The ultimate truth will remain in the right position.
(TIM/RED).
JAKARTA, The legal team consisting of Anggiat Anju Hutasoit SH, Ronauli Silaen SH, R Achmad Zulfikar Fauzi SH, M Yudho Febriaddin SH, Ahmad Zauhari Putra SH, and Husor Hutasoit SH sent a letter to the President of the Republic of Indonesia at the State Palace in Jakarta. Letter number 018/RSP-SP/XI/2023 dated 7 November 2023 regarding a request for assistance to Udechukwu Frederick Okeakpu and Odinakachi Kelechi Cixtus who were arrested by the Directorate of Narcotics Investigation (Ditresnarkoba) of the Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Police (Polda) to be released because accusations without evidence.
Jointly and severally, based on a power of attorney dated 1 November 2023 acting for and on behalf of Udechukwu Frederick Okeakpu and Odinakachi Cixtus Keleci as the principals are explained.
All advocates with office addresses at Grand Emerald Apartment Number 52 LG Floor on Jalan Pegangsaan 11 Number 3 (Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta – 14240) explained.
Their client, on behalf of the two people, was not arrested based on the development of information from the Narcotics Directorate of Polda Metro Jaya who named him a suspect and has been detained at the Cipinang Detention Center (East Jakarta) since February 2023.
The team of lawyers suspects that this happened due to carelessness or recklessness in the investigators who arrested and detained their client. The two clients were businessmen in Indonesia who were arrested and detained simply by receiving false information from those who had previously been arrested for committing drug crimes.
The attorney wanted to set the record straight and express a strong protest regarding the unprofessionalism of the investigators from the Narcotics Directorate of the Metro Jaya Police, where their client was not the person in question, namely Mr Sunday, who carried out international transactions with the Indian Mafia to send 1 kilogram of drugs received by Sari Eka Fitria at Soekarno International Airport. Hatta on February 16 2023. Their client was arrested on February 17 2023 and the two foreign nationals (WNA) were arrested only on the basis of transferring money from the exchange of rupiah currency to Nigerian currency, namely Naira.
Among the Nigerian community, their two clients are known to help exchange rupiah currency into Naira currency to make transactions easier for Nigerian citizens to send money to their families in Nigeria if there is an urgent need.
On February 14 2023, their client named Udechukwu was called by Mr Sunday that he needed Rp. 1,500,000 (One million five hundred thousand rupiah) because someone wanted to pay. However, at that time, Udechukwu said that he did not have rupiah because the shop’s sales business was not good.
Not long after that, their client named Odinakachi called Udechukwu saying he wanted to exchange his rupiah for Naira because he was going to send it to his father who was seriously ill. Then, Udechukwu called Mr Sunday to tell him that a customer needed Naira to be sent to Nigeria. Mr Sunday then gave his girlfriend’s BCA account number in the name of Sari Eka Fitria with the number 4390469719. At that time, Udechukwu gave the account number in the name of Sari Eka Fitria to Odinakachi so that the exchange money would be transferred to the account given by Mr Sunday and sent proof of the money transfer. to Udechukwu. After that, proof of transfer was sent to Mr Sunday and Mr Sunday sent the money in Naira to a bank account in Nigeria in the name of his older brother Odinakachi named Chigozie Uchenna Eseatum. All evidence was attached to the trial that the money was money from exchanging rupiah currency into Naira currency and had nothing to do with the alleged drug business.
He emphasized that Udechukwu’s client is a businessman who owns a shop that sells African food, so he has many customers who come from Africa. Mr Sunday is one of Udechukwu’s customers. In fact, the testimony of defendant Sari Eka Fitria and defendant Kristovel Pasaribu stated that neither of them knew each other’s clients. The person who ordered them and who knew them was Mr Sunday.
As the attorney for Udechukwu and Odinakachi, the legal advisor asked for the fairest possible justice from the President of the Republic of Indonesia because this case has entered the international realm and many people have followed this case and previous cases that the team of lawyers handled and have become an international highlight.
What is Indonesian law like in the eyes of the world if it judges innocent people for transferring money just to exchange currency? And there is no connection with the alleged drug business. Was it wrong if the two clients helped send money to their father who was seriously ill at that time? And now, his father has died and he doesn’t know when and where he is buried. Is it wrong for a child to want to serve his parents by helping with medical expenses for his father who is seriously ill? Don’t because the client is a black foreigner so that they are used as “sacrifice” and “discrimination” so that all black foreigners are beaten equally as perpetrators of crimes in Indonesia.
On this basis, the legal advisory team asked the President of the Republic of Indonesia to reprimand and cancel the suspect’s determination and release him from the Cipinang Detention Center. As legal counsel, we will take all legal measures if it is forced, which could result in disruption of good diplomatic relations between businessmen from Nigeria as investors in this nation.
The letter to the President of the Republic of Indonesia was copied to a number of related ministries and institutions, including the Minister of Law and Human Rights, Commission III DPR-RI, Ombudsman, Prosecutor’s Commission, Kompolnas, National Police Headquarters in Jakarta, related agencies, and archives.
Both Udechukwu Frederick Okeakpu (38 years) and Odinakachi Cixtus Kelechi (38 years) provided special power of attorney to accompany and provide legal assistance to the power of attorney as defendants in the trial at the South Jakarta District Court based on the Determination Letter of the Chairman of the South Jakarta District Court with case registration number 370/ Pid.sus/2023/PN JKT.SEL and case register number 373/Pid.sus/2023/PN JKT.SEL dated 06 July 2023.
At the trial, Fita Fitrallah SH as the Public Prosecutor (JPU) expressed his belief that the two clients of the legal advisor were guilty of committing the crime of “attempting or conspiracy to commit acts without rights or against the law, offering for sale, selling, buying, receiving, being an intermediary in selling -buy, exchange or hand over class I narcotics in non-plant form weighing more than 5 (five) grams.”
Ronauli Silaen SH and Anggiat Anju Hutasoit SH and their team are lawyers from Ronauli Silaen & Partner. All team members appeared to defend criminal case number 367/Pid.sus/2023/PN JKT SEL which had David Ibeneme Ejizu (56 years) as the defendant at that time. The hammer knock of the Chief Judge, I Dewa Made Budiwatsara SH MH on Tuesday evening, October 3 2023 also shocked the public. A decision that slaps legal institutions, namely the prosecutor’s office and the police. The prosecutor did not carefully determine the charges or the defendant. A relay performance from investigators in the police produced bitter results. The international world is also highlighting it. The fragrant name of Indonesia was scratched back in black streaks. Will the performance of investigators from the Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Police and the Public Prosecutor again tarnish the name of Indonesia which has been tarnished again by such performance? Time will tell. The ultimate truth will remain in the right position.
(TIM/RED).