Zarina's friend contradicts police testimony

JAKARTA (JP): The testimony of a witness in the trial of Zarina, a 25-year-old would-be actress charged with producing, possessing, and distributing 29,677 Ecstasy pills, contradicted yesterday testimonies by police last week.

Witness Nur Saidah, alias Ida, 43, told the West Jakarta District Court she saw Zarina open the safe in front of police officers at the Tangerang police precinct, 26 km west of here, without using the safe's combination.

Ida's testimony contradicted testimonies by police officers last week. They said Zarina, and the safe, were taken to the precinct after police raided her house. At the precinct she opened the safe using two keys and the safe's combination, the police said.

Ida went to the precinct with her husband and his friend Tomy after Zarina telephoned her.

She said she had not understood why Zarina was calling her because her voice was not very clear. She said they had been friends for five months.

Ida told the judge Zarina opened the safe once using two keys and did not fiddle with the safe's combination. She said before the defendant opened the safe she had said she got the keys from one of the police officers.

Police witnesses testified last week that Zarina opened the safe twice using two keys, one from her pocket and one they gave her.

The officers said someone had made a special trip to the precinct that evening to hand it over. They also said Zarina had fiddled with the combination.

Ida told the court that when she got to the precinct Zarina told her she was being questioned over a safe belonging to a friend of hers.

Ida said Zarina claimed she had been cheated by the friend, Roy. She also testified that Zarina said Roy had told her the safe contained only Rp 100 million (US$41,459).

Ida said she witnessed the opening of the safe because she cared about Zarina, who called her mommy.

She said she asked Tomy to witness Zarina's questioning because she could not find her husband in the waiting room.

Tomy, who was also heard by the court yesterday, said he had gone with couple because he knew the way to the precinct.

He said when he entered the office the safe was open. Zarina, wearing a black vest with a white floral motif, white shirt, black pants and black and white high-heeled shoes, confirmed their testimonies.

The hearing was postponed until Thursday. (13)