Bali trial opens for American man accused of drug distribution
DENPASAR, (Indonesia): An American man accused of drug distribution on Indonesia's popular island of Bali appeared in court Tuesday (Aug 5) on the opening day of his trial, facing up to 15 years in prison if convicted under the country's tough narcotics laws.
William Wallace Molyneaux, 27, was arrested in May, accused of carrying seven packages containing 99 pills of amphetamine, Bali's narcotics agency said.
He had multiple charges levelled against him including distributing drugs, which carries the maximum penalty of death by execution.
But prosecutors said Tuesday they sought a charge of drug distribution of an amount under five grams, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years.
They also sought a lesser, separate charge of possession of under five grams of the drug, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison.
The American national appeared in a suit at a court in Bali's provincial capital Denpasar, speaking to confirm his identity, and that he is a Christian from Florida.
A verdict was not expected until a later hearing.
The US embassy in Jakarta declined to comment.
Indonesia hands out severe punishments for drug smuggling and has previously executed foreigners, but has upheld a moratorium on the death sentence since 2017.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's administration has moved in recent months to repatriate several high-profile inmates, all sentenced for drug offences, back to their home countries.
Frenchman Serge Atlaoui returned to France in February after Jakarta and Paris agreed a deal to repatriate him on "humanitarian grounds" because he was ill.
In December, Indonesia took Mary Jane Veloso off death row and returned her to the Philippines.
It also sent the five remaining members of the "Bali Nine" drug ring, who were serving heavy prison sentences, back to Australia. - AFP
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