Zarina's fate still undecided<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Police have yet to charge Zarina Mirafsur, a
\ndrug suspect who has been kept at the Jakarta Police headquarters
\nsince her arrest last Thursday morning, with any crime.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said on
\nTuesday detectives were still researching the correct charges to
\nfile against the 27-year-old woman.<\/p>\n
\"We are still looking for the proper articles in the existing
\nlaws which can be applied to Zarina in order to enable the police
\nto file a dossier at the prosecutor's office,\" Zainuri told
\nreporters.<\/p>\n
Zainuri said police have faced difficulties revealing the
\nfacts behind the case since the suspects were still giving
\nconflicting testimonies to police interrogators.<\/p>\n
\"However, at the least Zarina could be charged for failing to
\nreport the use and possession of illegal drugs,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He also believed Zarina could be charged for drug trafficking.<\/p>\n
\"A suspect has admitted that Zarina handed over drugs to
\nanother suspect, but Zarina has rejected the testimony,\" the
\nofficer said without elaborating further.<\/p>\n
Zarina, who in 1997 was sentenced to four years in prison for
\nstoring 29,677 ecstasy pills at her house in West Jakarta, was
\narrested by police detectives last week, together with nine other
\nsuspects, during an early morning raid on a hotel in West
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
The detectives confiscated 835 ecstasy pills, 51.2 grams of
\nshabu-shabu (crystal amphetamine), 28 pornographic movies, six
\nbongs and two small scales.<\/p>\n
Zarina, who was apprehended with a man in one of the rooms,
\nhas repeatedly protested her innocence, saying she was at the
\nhotel to help a friend stop using drugs.<\/p>\n
Her arrest has come at a time of popular antidrug campaigns in
\nJakarta and has sparked anger among many antidrug activists.<\/p>\n
Minister<\/p>\n
On Monday antidrug campaigners grouped under the People's
\nAnti-Drug Movement (Geram) demanded law enforcers in the city
\ntake strong measures, including the death penalty, against drug
\ntraffickers or users.<\/p>\n
Support for the death sentence even came from State Minister
\nof Youth Affairs and Sports Mahadi Sinambela, who said that such
\na penalty is in accordance with the existing Law number 22 on
\nNarcotics and Law number 5 on Psychotropic Substances, both
\nissued in 1997.<\/p>\n
According to prosecutor Nurfah S.Y at the Central Jakarta
\nDistrict Court, Zarina could well face the death penalty if
\nprosecutors found her guilty of drug trafficking under the Law
\nnumber 5.<\/p>\n
\"Article 2, Chapter 59 of the Law carries a maximum death
\nsentence for persons found guilty of organizing drug
\ntrafficking,\" she said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
However, Zainuri thought this outcome highly unlikely, saying
\nthat such a case had never happened in the country before.<\/p>\n
\"The death sentence is not appropriate for our country,\" he
\nsaid, referring to the country's Pancasila philosophy.<\/p>\n
Another law practitioner, Judge Sri Handojo of West Jakarta
\nDistrict Court, appealed on Tuesday to the new members of the
\nHouse of Representatives to raise maximum jail sentences for any
\none found guilty of drug-related offences, not only well-
\norganized drug traffickers.<\/p>\n
\"At the moment, judges always refer to the law before reading
\nout their verdicts. If people want us to take stern measures
\nagainst drug users or traffickers, the people's representatives
\nmust revise the law and stipulate higher jail sentences,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Separately, West Bandung Police chief Lt. Col. Robert TH
\nKodong, was replaced on Tuesday by Lt. Col. Pudji Winarso from
\nthe National Police headquarters.<\/p>\n
Kodong will move to a new position at the National Police
\nheadquarters.<\/p>\n
He denied his replacement was linked to his closeness to
\nZarina.<\/p>\n
Rumors have circulated that Kodong has assigned his assistant
\nto work as Zarina's body guard and driver. (asa\/43)<\/p>",
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