DENPASAR, DEWATA.NEWS – A panel of judges at the Denpasar District Court has rejected a defense objection filed by a foreign couple charged in a hydroponic cannabis case, allowing the trial to proceed to the evidentiary stage.
The ruling was delivered by presiding judge Iman Luqmanul Hakim on Thursday (April 9), dismissing the legal exception submitted by Nirul Rashim Abdoelrazak, a Dutch national, and his wife Kseniia Varlamova, a Russian national, who are being tried in separate hearings.
Following the decision, prosecutors were instructed to continue the case with witness examination and evidence presentation, with the next hearing scheduled for the following week.
The couple is facing charges related to the illegal production and cultivation of cannabis using a hydroponic system. They were previously arrested by Bali Police’s Narcotics Directorate at a rented house on Jalan Bina Kusuma IV, Ubung Kaja, Denpasar.
According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly cultivated Class I narcotics in plant form exceeding one kilogram or more than five plants, in violation of Indonesian narcotics law.
Court documents detailed the cultivation method used in the case. The male defendant allegedly germinated cannabis seeds using moist tissue, allowing roots to develop before transferring the seedlings into plastic containers.
As the plants grew, they were moved into a hydroponic system using coconut fiber as the planting medium. The plants were reportedly maintained through regular watering and fertilization until reaching maturity.
The case is now entering the next phase of trial, where prosecutors will present evidence and witness testimonies to support the charges.