Zarina's last act

The curtain finally fell yesterday on what must have been one of the most mesmerizing and longest running real-life dramas this nation has seen for some time. TV actress Zarina collapsed in the West Jakarta District Court the moment she was pronounced guilty, giving a fitting climax to the story which has become more popular than local sinetron soap operas and the popular Latin imports, telenovela.

Zarina, 24, has held the nation's attention ever since she was arrested at her rented home in West Jakarta in August, where police seized more than 29,000 Ecstasy pills. Her actions since then have acquired her popularity -- some call it notoriety -- that she could not have gained by playing small roles in sinetron the way she did before her capture.

The media may have contributed to her rapid rise to fame, but it was her actions that captivated the public's imagination and kept them in suspense.

First, there was the allegation that she tried to bribe her way out when she was arrested. Then there was her escape from police detention three days later, which set off a nationwide manhunt. There was also the discovery that she had fled to Houston, Texas. Her return to Indonesia more than three months later was highly publicized.

The long court hearings were equally dramatic. She tearfully told the judge in her closing arguments that all she wanted to do was to go home. This was the buildup to yesterday's climax, whereupon our "heroine" collapsed. This series of events would make a thrilling episode in any soap opera.

Yesterday, the court found Zarina guilty of "storing" the Ecstasy pills, citing the 1992 Health Law on the distribution of dangerous drugs. She escaped the more serious charge of distributing the drug, which is punishable with up to 15 years imprisonment. And she escaped the tougher law on psychotropic drugs because the legislation was only enacted earlier this year, long after the alleged offense took place.

The sheer size of the Ecstasy haul no doubt contributed to the government and the House of Representatives' acceleration of the deliberation and enactment of the law on psychotropic drugs. The legislation gives law enforcers badly needed tools to effectively deal with the Ecstasy menace that is threatening the nation's youth. Previously, police and prosecutors had trouble using the 1992 Health Law because it only deals with the distribution of dangerous drugs but not possession, let alone storage.

Zarina insisted in court that the Ecstasy pills found inside a safe in her home belonged to a friend. The court accepted her explanation but convicted her nevertheless for storing the pills. The verdict has left a number of unanswered questions, such as who owned the pills, whether a syndicate was involved -- as the size of the haul suggests -- and if so, why the authorities haven't busted them. Whether in real life, or in a soap opera, the public has a right to know.

Zarina's lawyers have already announced their intention to appeal against the sentence. But for the time being, the public, which has been captivated by Zarina's story, will have to contend with the guilty verdict. Like all successful movies or TV dramas, one can certainly expect a sequel to this story, titled Zarina II or Zarina Returns. Then, perhaps, some of the public's questions will be answered.