Zarina's Ecstasy counted

JAKARTA (JP): For two hours and ten minutes the three judges, the prosecutor, her assistant and court clerks counted 29,677 Ecstasy pills Thursday at the West Jakarta Court.

The wanted to assure the public that all the pills seized from the defendant, Zarina Mirafsur, were accounted for.

The prosecutor Rizia Djamil had requested that the pills, which police found in a safe in Zarina's house, be counted.

The 24-year-old television actress was arrested Aug. 7 last year at her house in Kebun Jeruk, and is on trial for producing, possessing and distributing Ecstasy pills.

She faces a maximum 15-year jail sentence for violating the Health Law on drug abuse.

Presiding judge Sumantri said, after the pills had been counted, that the amount matched the number recorded on the inditement.

Judge Sumantri told the court he had decided to count the pills, packed in 30 plastic bags, to make the session "ideal".

"This trial has started well, and should continue to do so. Let's count them all," he said.

A video tape of police questioning Zarina at the Tangerang Police Precinct, 26 kilometers west of here, was also viewed on Thursday. The police recording showed the safe containing the pills.

Zarina's lawyers asked her to tell the court whether she had been informed of her rights at the police precinct. The defendant said the police had not informed her.

In the previous session, the defendant said she was surprised to see the pills in the safe. She said the safe belonged to her friend, Roy.

The trial was adjourned until May 1 when the prosecution will state its case. (13)