Corby reinstates Indonesian lawyers<\/p>\n
Reuters, Jakarta<\/p>\n
An Australian woman jailed in Indonesia for smuggling drugs
\nhas rehired the Indonesian lawyers she sacked a few days ago, in
\nthe latest twist in a case that has gripped Australians.<\/p>\n
The firing and rehiring of legal counsels came as Schapelle
\nCorby, a beauty therapist, awaits a decision on her defense
\nteam's appeal against her 20-year sentence for smuggling 4.1 kg
\n(9 lb) of marijuana into the resort island of Bali.<\/p>\n
Corby's conviction sparked public outrage and threats against
\nIndonesian diplomats in Australia. The Indonesian embassy closed
\ntwice due to security scares after receiving suspicious packages
\nof what turned out to contain harmless white powder.<\/p>\n
Last Friday, the Indonesian foreign ministry received a
\nsimilar package with Australian stamps on it.<\/p>\n
After the May 27 conviction, Corby hired high-profile Jakarta
\nlawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea to strengthen her legal team, which
\nhad been made up of Bali-based counsels, to prepare the appeal.<\/p>\n
However, Corby sacked all her Indonesian lawyers last week
\nfollowing allegations from Corby's Australian solicitor Mark
\nTrowell that \"lobbying money\" had been requested to smooth appeal
\nefforts.<\/p>\n
The allegation became headline news in Australia and prompted
\nCorby to appoint a new legal team headed by Indonesian-based
\nGerman lawyer Walter Tonetto.<\/p>\n
On Monday, Corby's sister Mercedes told reporters the family
\nhad discontinued Tonetto's services and rehired Hutapea and two
\nof Corby's previous Bali-based lawyers after Trowell said they
\nwere not involved in any wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
Corby, 27, has consistently denied the drug charges and
\ninsisted airport baggage handlers in Australia planted the
\nmarijuana in the bodyboard bag she brought into Bali.<\/p>\n
Hutapea, a colorful figure with a penchant for bringing
\nactresses to court as assistants, has argued Corby's drug
\npossession was unwitting and asked the Australian government to
\nhelp secure an admission of guilt from the person he claimed as
\nthe real owner of the drugs.<\/p>\n
Legal experts say that to overturn the conviction, Corby's
\ndefense will have to provide hard evidence that Australian
\nairport luggage handlers put the cannabis into the bag without
\nher knowledge.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/corby-reinstates-indonesian-lawyers-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}