Zarina's fate still undecided
Zarina's fate still undecided
JAKARTA (JP): Police have yet to charge Zarina Mirafsur, a
drug suspect who has been kept at the Jakarta Police headquarters
since her arrest last Thursday morning, with any crime.
Jakarta Police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said on
Tuesday detectives were still researching the correct charges to
file against the 27-year-old woman.
"We are still looking for the proper articles in the existing
laws which can be applied to Zarina in order to enable the police
to file a dossier at the prosecutor's office," Zainuri told
reporters.
Zainuri said police have faced difficulties revealing the
facts behind the case since the suspects were still giving
conflicting testimonies to police interrogators.
"However, at the least Zarina could be charged for failing to
report the use and possession of illegal drugs," he said.
He also believed Zarina could be charged for drug trafficking.
"A suspect has admitted that Zarina handed over drugs to
another suspect, but Zarina has rejected the testimony," the
officer said without elaborating further.
Zarina, who in 1997 was sentenced to four years in prison for
storing 29,677 ecstasy pills at her house in West Jakarta, was
arrested by police detectives last week, together with nine other
suspects, during an early morning raid on a hotel in West
Jakarta.
The detectives confiscated 835 ecstasy pills, 51.2 grams of
shabu-shabu (crystal amphetamine), 28 pornographic movies, six
bongs and two small scales.
Zarina, who was apprehended with a man in one of the rooms,
has repeatedly protested her innocence, saying she was at the
hotel to help a friend stop using drugs.
Her arrest has come at a time of popular antidrug campaigns in
Jakarta and has sparked anger among many antidrug activists.
Minister
On Monday antidrug campaigners grouped under the People's
Anti-Drug Movement (Geram) demanded law enforcers in the city
take strong measures, including the death penalty, against drug
traffickers or users.
Support for the death sentence even came from State Minister
of Youth Affairs and Sports Mahadi Sinambela, who said that such
a penalty is in accordance with the existing Law number 22 on
Narcotics and Law number 5 on Psychotropic Substances, both
issued in 1997.
According to prosecutor Nurfah S.Y at the Central Jakarta
District Court, Zarina could well face the death penalty if
prosecutors found her guilty of drug trafficking under the Law
number 5.
"Article 2, Chapter 59 of the Law carries a maximum death
sentence for persons found guilty of organizing drug
trafficking," she said on Tuesday.
However, Zainuri thought this outcome highly unlikely, saying
that such a case had never happened in the country before.
"The death sentence is not appropriate for our country," he
said, referring to the country's Pancasila philosophy.
Another law practitioner, Judge Sri Handojo of West Jakarta
District Court, appealed on Tuesday to the new members of the
House of Representatives to raise maximum jail sentences for any
one found guilty of drug-related offences, not only well-
organized drug traffickers.
"At the moment, judges always refer to the law before reading
out their verdicts. If people want us to take stern measures
against drug users or traffickers, the people's representatives
must revise the law and stipulate higher jail sentences," he
said.
Separately, West Bandung Police chief Lt. Col. Robert TH
Kodong, was replaced on Tuesday by Lt. Col. Pudji Winarso from
the National Police headquarters.
Kodong will move to a new position at the National Police
headquarters.
He denied his replacement was linked to his closeness to
Zarina.
Rumors have circulated that Kodong has assigned his assistant
to work as Zarina's body guard and driver. (asa/43)