A British man accused of drug offences has appealed for leniency in a court on the Indonesian island of Bali after a charge that could have carried the death penalty was dropped.
Thomas Parker, from Cumbria, was arrested on January 21 at a villa near the tourist resort of Kuta after he allegedly collected a parcel from a motorbike taxi driver in a nearby street.
According to court documents provided to The Associated Press, law enforcement officials noticed Parker “acting suspiciously.”
He allegedly threw the package away in a panic and ran when police approached him. He was found and arrested at the villa where he was staying.
The documents state that laboratory tests confirmed the presence of just over one kilogram of MDMA, the main component of ecstasy, in the parcel.
Parker was initially charged with drug trafficking and faced execution by firing squad if convicted.
However, the drug trafficking charge was dropped after investigators found that the package had no direct connection to him.
The incident was not made public until authorities displayed Parker in handcuffs at a press conference on March 6.
During the investigation, the 32-year-old electrician was able to prove that he did not order the package. It was allegedly sent by his drug dealer friend, known only as Nicky, with whom Parker had known for about two years and communicated regularly via the Telegram messenger.
During the trial, which began last month, Parker said he initially refused to take the package but later agreed after Nicky assured him it was safe and would not pose a threat to him.
Parker was told that someone would soon pick up the package, said his lawyer, Edward Pangkahila. Nicky did not promise him money or any other reward, Mr. Pangkahila added.
Authorities downgraded the drug-dealing charge to a lesser charge of concealing information from authorities. On May 6, prosecutors asked for a one-year prison sentence for Parker.
However, in the Indonesian legal system, judges play a key role as legal determinants in legal proceedings. They can bring additional charges if the relevant laws are unclear or non-existent, meaning that drug charges can be reinstated.
Mr Pangkahila noted that Parker last saw Nicky a year ago when he was on holiday in
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
