An intellectually disabled man in Indonesia has been put on trial after he was caught allegedly dealing drugs.
Wendra Purnama, 22, was arrested for dealing drugs on the Cengkareng Outer Ring Road in West Jakarta on November 25, The Jakarta Post reported. His friend Hau Hau Wijaya was also arrested when found to be in possession of 0.23 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
Purnama has been to court five times since he was charged with the crime, with the latest being his appearance at the Tangerang District Court on March 25.
He had reportedly been struggling to speak during the court sessions, with his lawyer Antonius Baar Karwayu having to clarify everything he said.
Karwayu, who works at the rights group Community Legal Aid Institute (LBH Masyarakat,) has asked the court to acquit his client as he is intellectually impaired and finds it difficult to communicate. He added that the Banten office of the Indonesian Psychology Association also concurs with this assessment after performing examinations on the defendant.
According to psychological test results, Purnama has issues with thinking and also lacks adaptive functions. His IQ level was reported to be only 55, which is considerably below average.
The lawyer claimed that his client has difficulties in distinguishing between good, bad, right and wrong.
Purnama’s mother Ahua said he has been intellectually disabled since birth. She was also shocked and confused when the state built a case against her son.