Zarina Ecstasy trial opens to full courthouse<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Budding TV actress Zarina appeared in the West
\nJakarta District Court amid tight security yesterday on charges
\nof producing, possessing and distributing 29,677 Ecstasy pills.<\/p>\n
Zarina, whose real name is Zarima Mir Mirafsur, looked relaxed
\nand occasionally smiled as Prosecutor Rizia Jamil read the
\nindictment.<\/p>\n
Rizia alleged that on Aug. 7 last year Tangerang police found
\nthe 24-year-old defendant with the pills in a steel safe in her
\nbedroom at her rented house in Taman Alfa Indah, Joglo, West
\nJakarta. The police were acting on a tip.<\/p>\n
\"The defendant refused to open the safe saying there was
\nnothing inside it and that she did not have the keys. But, when
\nthe safe was about to be transported to the Tangerang Police
\nPrecinct, the defendant said there were 4,000 Ecstasy pills in
\nit,\" Rizia said.<\/p>\n
\"You don't have to open them and go to the police precinct. We
\ncan settle the case here and I'll give you Rp 30 million,\" Rizia
\nquoted Zarina as saying to police.<\/p>\n
There was an uproar in the court when Rizia said this. The
\ncourt was packed with elementary school students, uniformed
\nsenior high school students, housewives and others. Zarina's
\nelder brother, Zulian Zoelfikar, was also present.<\/p>\n
The crowd murmured to each other until presiding judge
\nSumantri pounded the gavel and demanded silence. \"Please. This is
\nnot a public square or something. This court will decide
\nsomeone's fate,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The court room on the 2nd floor had two large electric ceiling
\nfans but lacked fresh air.<\/p>\n
The prosecutor said there were four kinds of pills and Rp
\n100,000 cash in the steel safe. \"There were 6,886 green, 2,920
\nblue, 16,929 yellow and 2,942 white pills.\"<\/p>\n
The results of the National Police Laboratory tests indicated
\nthe pills were Ecstasy. Ecstasy is grouped as a psychotropic drug
\nand not a narcotic.<\/p>\n
\"The pills did not meet the standard required by Indonesian
\nPharmacopoeia and were listed as drugs regulated by Health Law
\nNo. 23\/1992 and the Minister of Health's Decree No. 124\/1993 on
\ndrugs,\" the prosecutor said.<\/p>\n
\"The defendant has violated Article 80 (4) or Article 40 (1)
\nof 1992 Health Law No. 23,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The possession and trafficking of Ecstasy are illegal under
\nthe 1992 Health Law No. 23. Anyone caught breaking this law can
\nbe sentenced up to 15 years jail or fined up to Rp 300 million
\n(US$124,000).<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives endorsed Monday a bill on
\npsychotropic drugs that would allow courts to sentence to death
\nmembers of syndicates trafficking Ecstasy. The bill now needs
\nonly a directive to become effective.<\/p>\n
The session lasted about 25 minutes and was characterized by
\nphotographers and visitors eager to see Zarina. Zarina gained
\nnotoriety and made newspaper headlines when she escaped from a
\npolice escort from the Tangerang Police Precinct to the Jakarta
\nPolice Headquarters on Aug. 8 last year.<\/p>\n
Capt. Ade, who escorted her, was sacked.<\/p>\n
Zarina was arrested in Houston, USA, on Nov. 4, and was
\nbrought home on Nov. 17.<\/p>\n
Her story encouraged people to go to see her personally.<\/p>\n
The judge had to postpone the session for 10 minutes to give
\nphotographers time to photograph the defendant.<\/p>\n
Dini, 24, a senior high school student, said she and her
\nschool mates were just curious to see Zarina.<\/p>\n
Some civil servants from the Ministry of Agriculture's West
\nJakarta office came out of curiosity too.<\/p>\n
Syaiful, 31, a driver at a bank in Jl. Jend. Sudirman, Central
\nJakarta, said the trial was \"a play about certain people.\"<\/p>\n
\"I believe Zarina's case involves big drug dealers,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said Zarina did not deserve any special treatment from the
\ncourt.<\/p>\n
Just after the prosecutor finished reading the indictment
\nZarina's lawyer Henry Yosodiningrat asked the court to release
\nher from the Pondok Bambu detention house and place her under
\nhouse arrest.<\/p>\n
\"We guarantee that she will not escape and will not disrupt or
\ndamage the material evidence. We also promise to make her appear
\nin court whenever necessary,\" Henry said.<\/p>\n
Zarina was accompanied by lawyers Amir Syamsuddin, OC Kaligis,
\nNurhasim Ilyas, and Henry.<\/p>\n
Judge Sumantri said the court would think about the request,
\nand gave the prosecution seven days to prepare its objection.
\n(07\/13\/sur)<\/p>",
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