City police awards 'Zarina Team' members

JAKARTA (JP): City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata presented yesterday honorary awards and cash to five police detectives for their remarkable work in bringing Ecstasy-case escapee Zarina back from the United States.

The five officers are Lt. Col. Gories Mere, who led the mission, Lt. Col. Bakat Purwanto, Maj. Carlo Tewu, Capt. Tomy Watulu and First Sgt. Vivi Cangkung, the only woman on the team.

Besides receiving certificates, the officers were given cash.

Mere, who is secretary of the Jakarta crime investigation directorate, received Rp 1 million (US$432), the other three male detectives Rp 750,000 each and Sgt. Vivi Rp 400,000.

"It's not about the amount of money but what we need to show here is how much we appreciate the great work of our personnel in fighting crime," Hamami said.

"The awards were to honor their efforts, which I think were a remarkable success, in being able to arrest and bring Zarina back home for trial," Hamami said in his speech.

The honors are also part of our efforts to realize our reward and punishment system, he said.

The awards were presented at a routine ceremony held every Monday at the Jakarta Police Headquarters on Jl. Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta.

Earlier, a U.S. embassy security attache congratulated the Jakarta detectives.

"The Indonesian police have proved their professionalism and hard work in investigating this case across international borders," he said after Zarina's arrival on Sunday.

Zarina, who was re-arrested in Houston on Nov. 4 after hiding for three months since escaping from police on Aug. 8, is still under investigation and in police custody.

"We're still discussing with interrogators every detail about the investigation and questioning of this case," Head of the Jakarta CID, Col. Paimin Abuamr, said last night.

Therefore, "we have made no significant progress in our probe," he said.

Zarina's lawyer Amir Syamsuddin refused to comment on the progress of Zarina's interrogation, now in its second day.

"I need to meet her relatives first to discuss Zarina's case," Amir said.

He said he would immediately assign a senior lawyer from his law firm to assist Zarina during police questioning. (bsr)