Zarina Ecstasy trial opens to full courthouse

Zarina Ecstasy trial opens to full courthouse

JAKARTA (JP): Budding TV actress Zarina appeared in the West
Jakarta District Court amid tight security yesterday on charges
of producing, possessing and distributing 29,677 Ecstasy pills.

Zarina, whose real name is Zarima Mir Mirafsur, looked relaxed
and occasionally smiled as Prosecutor Rizia Jamil read the
indictment.

Rizia alleged that on Aug. 7 last year Tangerang police found
the 24-year-old defendant with the pills in a steel safe in her
bedroom at her rented house in Taman Alfa Indah, Joglo, West
Jakarta. The police were acting on a tip.

"The defendant refused to open the safe saying there was
nothing inside it and that she did not have the keys. But, when
the safe was about to be transported to the Tangerang Police
Precinct, the defendant said there were 4,000 Ecstasy pills in
it," Rizia said.

"You don't have to open them and go to the police precinct. We
can settle the case here and I'll give you Rp 30 million," Rizia
quoted Zarina as saying to police.

There was an uproar in the court when Rizia said this. The
court was packed with elementary school students, uniformed
senior high school students, housewives and others. Zarina's
elder brother, Zulian Zoelfikar, was also present.

The crowd murmured to each other until presiding judge
Sumantri pounded the gavel and demanded silence. "Please. This is
not a public square or something. This court will decide
someone's fate," he said.

The court room on the 2nd floor had two large electric ceiling
fans but lacked fresh air.

The prosecutor said there were four kinds of pills and Rp
100,000 cash in the steel safe. "There were 6,886 green, 2,920
blue, 16,929 yellow and 2,942 white pills."

The results of the National Police Laboratory tests indicated
the pills were Ecstasy. Ecstasy is grouped as a psychotropic drug
and not a narcotic.

"The pills did not meet the standard required by Indonesian
Pharmacopoeia and were listed as drugs regulated by Health Law
No. 23/1992 and the Minister of Health's Decree No. 124/1993 on
drugs," the prosecutor said.

"The defendant has violated Article 80 (4) or Article 40 (1)
of 1992 Health Law No. 23," she said.

The possession and trafficking of Ecstasy are illegal under
the 1992 Health Law No. 23. Anyone caught breaking this law can
be sentenced up to 15 years jail or fined up to Rp 300 million
(US$124,000).

The House of Representatives endorsed Monday a bill on
psychotropic drugs that would allow courts to sentence to death
members of syndicates trafficking Ecstasy. The bill now needs
only a directive to become effective.

The session lasted about 25 minutes and was characterized by
photographers and visitors eager to see Zarina. Zarina gained
notoriety and made newspaper headlines when she escaped from a
police escort from the Tangerang Police Precinct to the Jakarta
Police Headquarters on Aug. 8 last year.

Capt. Ade, who escorted her, was sacked.

Zarina was arrested in Houston, USA, on Nov. 4, and was
brought home on Nov. 17.

Her story encouraged people to go to see her personally.

The judge had to postpone the session for 10 minutes to give
photographers time to photograph the defendant.

Dini, 24, a senior high school student, said she and her
school mates were just curious to see Zarina.

Some civil servants from the Ministry of Agriculture's West
Jakarta office came out of curiosity too.

Syaiful, 31, a driver at a bank in Jl. Jend. Sudirman, Central
Jakarta, said the trial was "a play about certain people."

"I believe Zarina's case involves big drug dealers," he said.

He said Zarina did not deserve any special treatment from the
court.

Just after the prosecutor finished reading the indictment
Zarina's lawyer Henry Yosodiningrat asked the court to release
her from the Pondok Bambu detention house and place her under
house arrest.

"We guarantee that she will not escape and will not disrupt or
damage the material evidence. We also promise to make her appear
in court whenever necessary," Henry said.

Zarina was accompanied by lawyers Amir Syamsuddin, OC Kaligis,
Nurhasim Ilyas, and Henry.

Judge Sumantri said the court would think about the request,
and gave the prosecution seven days to prepare its objection.
(07/13/sur)