Japanese grandfather handed life sentence for smuggling methamphetamine into Indonesia

Masaru Kawada says he was tricked into carrying drugs

Japanese national Masaru Kawada, center, is mobbed by the media upon arrival for his sentencing hearing at the district court in Pariaman, West Sumatra, Indonesia (AP Photo/Rivo Andries)

An Indonesian court has handed a Japanese grandfather a life sentence for smuggling kilos of methamphetamine into the country.

Police arrested grandfather of two Masaru Kawada, 73, last November after he was caught at Minangkabau Airport in West Sumatra's capital, Padang, with 2.35 kilograms (5.1lbs) of the stimulant in his luggage.

While Kawada maintains that he was tricked into carrying someone else’s bag onto the flight, a panel of three judges at District Court in Pariaman decided he was guilty.

Chief state prosecutor Budi Prihalda had fought for a lighter sentence of 16 years because of the defendant's age.

But presiding judge Jon Effreddi said the panel “found no reason to lighten his sentence."

Kawada’s lawyer said an appeal will be launched against the decision.

Court documents state that Kawada met a man identified as Edward Mark in Japan last November.

Mark asked Kawada to travel to Macau, and agreed to pay for his tickets and accommodation, as well as giving the septuagenarian $500 (£320) in travel expenses.

When Kawada arrived in Macau, he met a Chinese woman who asked him to carry a bag to a friend in Padang.

Kawada, who flew to Padang from Macau via Kuala Lumpur, said he had checked the bag and did not find anything suspicious, and only realised he was carrying drugs when his luggage was seized by officials.

Kawada has emerged from the situation as one of the oldest drug smugglers to be sentenced in Indonesia.

The nation’s strict drug laws have come under scrutiny recently, after two Australian citizens were executed for smuggling heroin.

However, the government argues that the punishment is part of confronting a drug emergency.

Additional reporting by AP