P

rosecutors sought on Tuesday a seven-month prison sentence for Novi Amalia, a defendant in a reckless driving case, which occurred last year and injured seven people.

Bunjamin, prosecutor of the West Jakarta Prosecutor'€™s Office, said during the hearing on Tuesday that the panel of judges should sentence the defendant to seven months'€™ imprisonment because she drove recklessly while under the influence of alcohol and illicit drugs, and caused injury to seven people.

'€œWe demand that the West Jakarta District Court sentence the defendant to a seven-month prison sentence for violating Article 312 of Traffic Law No. 22/2009 on traffic,'€ prosecutor Bunjamin said.

The accident happened on Oct. 11, when Novi, who was reportedly half-naked, was driving her red Honda Jazz at a high speed on Jl. Sukarjo Wiryopranoto in Central Jakarta and hit two traffic police officers, a pedestrian, cyclist and street vendor. Novi then attempted to flee the scene and subsequently crashed into a public minivan and injured its driver. She went on to hit another public minivan and a motorcyclist, without causing injuries. The police said that all other victims sustained injuries.

The police claimed that Novi was wearing only her underwear and refused to put on her clothes when they arrested her. She was tested for drugs and came up positive for methamphetamine.

Bunjamin said that all witnesses who testified in court said the defendant committed the alleged crimes.

He said the incriminating factors were: the defendant failed to slow down, did not help the victims after the accident and did not file a report about the accident with the police.

'€œThe defendant also gave material compensation to the victims,'€ he said.

After prosecutor Bunjamin read the indictment, presiding judge Harijanto told the defendant to present her legal defense. But after having a discussion with her lawyer, Rendy Anggara Putra, Novi requested for the judges to give her one week to prepare her plea and legal defense.

Last week, Rendy filed a complaint with the court over the prosecutor who suspended reading of the indictment for unspecified reasons.

During the hearing session, Rendy questioned the sentence demand, which he said was unfair if it was compared to the sentence imposed on the Coordinating Economic Minister'€™s 22-year-old son Rasyid Amrullah Rajasa after he was found proven guilty of causing a fatal pileup.

Rasyid, who was found guilty in the case, was sentenced to six months'€™ probation and was ordered to pay a Rp 12 million (US$1,200) fine.

'€œNovi should get a lighter sentence than Rasyid because nobody died in her case and her victims only suffered minor injuries. Will my client get a heavier sentence because she is not a daughter of a state official or minister?'€ Rendy said as quoted by kompas.com. (ogi)