Zarina in ill health, court hearing delayed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Judges at the West Jakarta District Court
\npostponed the hearing of drug defendant Zarina Mirafsur until
\nnext week as the 27-year-old woman claimed not to be fit for the
\nTuesday's court prosecution.<\/p>\n
Zarina, who looked pale during this initial court hearing,
\nasked the judges to reschedule the session.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Basoeki approved Zarina's request for humane
\nreasons.<\/p>\n
\"The court decided to adjourn the hearing because the
\ndefendant claimed not to be able to follow the prosecution due to
\nher ailing condition,\" Basoeki said.<\/p>\n
The judge warned the defendant that if she was unlawfully
\npretending to be ill, she would be liable for further
\nprosecution.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Hasan Madani produced testimony from Dr. Dewi, the
\nofficial physician at Tangerang Women's Hospital where Zarina is
\ncurrently detained, to the effect that: \"the defendant is
\nsuffering nausea and minor stress but is still able to attend the
\nhearing.\"<\/p>\n
Dr. Dewi examined Zarina's health on Tuesday morning after the
\ndefendant insisted that she was sick.<\/p>\n
Zarina evidently cried throughout the morning, refusing to
\nobey prosecutors' orders to appear in the courtroom.<\/p>\n
\"We picked her up at 8 a.m., but she cried and refused our
\norders because of a queasy stomach,\" S. Parman, an official at
\nthe West Jakarta Prosecutor's office, said prior to the hearing.<\/p>\n
The judge said that the court would not tolerate such behavior
\nin the future.<\/p>\n
\"We adjourned the hearing this time only. Next time, the court
\nwill proceed with the hearing regardless of whether the defendant
\ncares to appear in the courtroom,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Scores of television and print journalists eagerly awaited
\nZarina, dubbed the \"ecstasy queen\" after proven guilty of holding
\n30,000 ecstasy pills in 1996.<\/p>\n
Journalists and the district court staff awaited Zarina's
\narrival at the court around 11 a.m, with a tight guard of
\npolicemen and security from the West Jakarta Prosecutor's office.<\/p>\n
Zarina's legal representation included lawyers Ali Mazi,
\nPetrus Bala Pattyona, Roy Rening and Koresh Tambunan.<\/p>\n
Petrus interrupted the hearing to remind the judge of
\nprotocol. The judge had neglected to ask whether the defendant
\nwas capable of understanding court procedures.<\/p>\n
Judge Basoeki at that point allowed Zarina to make her health-
\nrelated complaints.<\/p>\n
Zarina's presence has managed to draw a wide gallery of
\nvisitors to the court, including the court staff. The gallery,
\nalthough interested in her physical appearance, was not entirely
\nsupportive of Zarina. Several women in the courtroom booed her
\nwhen she complained of her inability to follow the hearing.<\/p>\n
\"She only pretended to be ill,\" whispered a woman in uniform
\nsitting on the visitors' bench. She was one of scores of young
\nprosecutors attending the hearing for field observations. (asa)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/zarina-in-ill-health-court-hearing-delayed-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}