Jakarta. Three co-defendants in the drug theft trial that saw high-ranking police officer Teddy Minahasa as the key defendant are recommended prison sentences between 17 and 20 years on Monday.

Teddy, who was dramatically detained shortly before he was supposed to get the promotion as the East Java police chief last year, is charged with stealing and selling 5 kilograms of methamphetamine from the evidence locker together with several accomplices.

Former subordinate Adjunct Chief Comr. Dody Prawiranegara was the first to hear the sentencing demand at the West Jakarta District Court, where prosecutors recommended 20 years in prison for him.

Dody, who was serving as the Bukittinggi District Police chief in West Sumatra at the time of the crime, has acted as a middleman to sell the ill-gotten meth, according to prosecutors who read out the demand in turn.

His team confiscated more than 41 kilograms of meth after an operation on May 14 last year and he immediately reported the massive evidence to Teddy, then was the West Sumatra provincial police chief.

Teddy asked Dody to take 5 kilograms of the meth before the whole evidence was ceremonially destroyed in front of the public last June and replace the stolen stuff with alums, according to court documents.

The prosecution demand drew outrage from the defense, who argued that Dody deserves leniency for telling the truth and helping authorities uncover the high-profile drug case.

“In our opinion, the prosecution demand doesn’t entirely reflect all the facts revealed during previous hearings,” said Adriel Purba, an attorney for Dody.

He said Teddy is at the center of the case while Dody merely followed orders from his superior.

"This human being is so evil that we believe Mr. Teddy Minahasa deserves the death sentence," Adriel told reporters at the courthouse.

In a separate hearing, Linda Pujiastuti aka Anita who earlier claimed as Teddy’s secret wife was recommended a sentence of 18 years for her role in the drug theft.

Linda has helped the crooked police ring sell the stolen meth and received Rp 60 million in profit, prosecutors said.

The same court sought 17 years’ imprisonment for another defendant, police officer Comr. Kasranto, also for allegedly selling the meth and taking personal gains from it.

Prosecutors asked the court to fine the three defendants Rp 2 billion each or their prison term be added by another six months.

Teddy was named suspect last October just before he was supposedly sworn in as the new East Java police chief, considered as a more prestigious position than leading the provincial police in Sumatra.