TOKYO, Japan – Indonesian national Carrand Tangka is on trial in Chiba district court in Japan on charges of human trafficking.  He admitted to all the prosecutor’s charges and faces a four-year jail sentence.  The verdict will be handed down on 21 January.

Tangka was a flight attendant for Garuda Indonesia, and is accused of using that position to smuggle three people into Japan illegally.  While he admitted to the charges, he claims that he did not willingly violate the law.  His defense lawyer argued for a lenient sentence based on the fact that it is Tangka’s first offense, that he has young children in Indonesia, and that he may lose his job if he is jailed for a prolonged period of time.

For more information, please see:

Japan Times – Embassy staffer held for illegal entry – 02 November 2007

Antara News – Indonesian admits charges on human trafficking – 24 December 2007