Drug-free tests fail to win Zarina's release

JAKARTA (JP): City police announced on Sunday that laboratory tests of the blood and urine of former actress Zarina Mirafsur were negative for drugs.

But there was no release for the 27-year-old woman who two years ago was dubbed the country's "Ecstasy Queen" after she was sentenced to four years in jail for possession of 29,677 ecstasy pills.

"She won't go free this time. The test results are nothing. The witnesses willing to testify against her are much more important," chief of Jakarta Police detectives Col. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo said on Sunday.

Zarina, who is also known as Zarima, was detained last Thursday together with nine other suspects during an early morning raid of five apartments in Hotel Mercure on Jl. Tanjung Duren, West Jakarta.

She was granted a conditional release on Oct. 21 last year and worked for her former lawyer O.C. Kaligis until a few months ago.

Police also confiscated 835 ecstasy pills, 51.2 grams of shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine), 28 pornographic movies, six bongs and two small scales during the raid.

Alex said he and his office were unfazed by the plan of Zarina's lawyers to sue the city police for arresting her without sufficient evident.

"They said they would file suit in court on Wednesday. If she wants to sue us, it's her right," he said.

A few hours after being apprehended, Zarina told reporters that police detained her in the West Java capital of Bandung about two weeks ago for allegedly using drugs with a police officer.

"But they could not find anything against me then. They've been pursuing me since," she said.

A fool

When asked about the matter, Alex smiled and said the police officer would testify to Zarina's drug use.

"She thinks she can fool us. That incident happened right here in Jakarta at Mal Taman Anggrek (shopping mall) in West Jakarta. The police sergeant was ordered by his superior to set her up and smoke shabu-shabu with her," Alex said.

"The officer smoked the drug with her and her friends. But, while the rest remained OK physically, this officer, who is not used to drugs, was so high that he later pulled a gun on a security officer at the mall. Zarina and her friends had fled by then.

"The officer, whose name I will not mention, will testify against her in court."

Zarina was dragged screaming into the Jakarta Police prison on Saturday morning, repeatedly saying that she never signed documents acknowledging she was a suspect.

"I did not sign anything," Zarina told reporters.

However, one of her lawyers, Ali Mazi, said she signed the dossier at 3 a.m. on Saturday.

Alex said he expected to meet representatives of Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta on Monday to discuss whether Zarina's conditional release should be terminated.

"If they decide it should be terminated, she then has to go back to Tangerang Women's Penitentiary where she belongs," Alex said.

One of the people arrested on Thursday was Ahian Santoso, alias Yeye, 30.

Alex hinted the two were involved in an intimate relationship.

Zarina claimed that she was working as a private counselor and trying to stop Yeye from using drugs.

"When someone uses drugs he is not a criminal, but a victim. Don't call him a criminal. I went to the hotel that night to talk some sense into him, not to use drugs," Zarina said.

Yeye told the police the drugs belonged to both of them.

A close friend of Zarina said she fell in love with Yeye about two months ago.

"The problem is he is a dealer and user. That's how she got stuck in all this," said the friend who insisted on anonymity. (ylt)