Zarina surrounded by number one lawyers

JAKARTA (JP): The trial of Zarina Mirafsur, charged with possessing and trafficking Ecstasy pills, is attracting increasing attention given the high profile of three of her seven lawyers. Today her second hearing is scheduled in West Jakarta District Court.

* Amir Syamsuddin, 55, was the first lawyer appointed to represent Zarina. Born in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, he has been a lawyer for 15 years.

At 42, he graduated from the extension program of the Faculty of Law of University of Indonesia. He now runs a law firm with 15 partners, including his second son Didi Irawadi Syamsuddin, on Jl. HR Rasuna Said, Kuningan, South Jakarta.

He said he took Zarina's case because of a "moral commitment". When he meet Zarina after her flight to America, Zarina had asked him what she would have to face if she returned to Indonesia.

"As I was the one who told her everything and advised her to return home, I would feel like I double crossed my own commitment if I left her now," he said.

Amir said another reason was his closeness to Zarina's father.

"I have been representing Mirafsur (Zarina's father) for about eight years.. he has become a close friend and is like family to me. So when his daughter had this problem, I was the first person he called," Amir said. His son Didi is also a good friend of Zarina, Amir added.

About payment, Amir only said it was Zarina's parents who were paying, as Zarina was still dependent on them.

Unlike with other clients, payment would be discussed later, he said.

"But they have paid all travel and accommodation expenses."

On fees in general, he said the lowest handling fee received by his office was about Rp 50 million.

"Rp 100 million is "biasa" (normal, nothing)."

Amir considered himself a late starter, beginning his career at 40 in 1983, after a two-year apprenticeship at O.C. Kaligis law firm.

He said some not widely publicized cases such as those of Harnoko Dewantono alias Oki, or Subekti Ismaun of Bapindo, had impressed him most. He said he gained satisfaction from having been able to help two people who could not pay him at the beginning of his career.

"These were the cases of Zakri, a construction worker charged with killing his brother, and the case of a security guard charged for killing a hoodlum," he said.

* Otto Cornelis Kaligis was born in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, June 19, 1942. In a profile of 45 Indonesian lawyers, Kaligis was said to have done most of his studying alone to become a lawyer. His first office was in Glodok, downtown, before he went to study philosophy in Aachen, Germany. In 1977 he set up O.C. Kaligis & Associates, his current office.

Kaligis defended Philipus Kia Lejab and his family, convicted last year for their involvement in the murder of a woman and three children.

He is now defending a Garuda pilot arrested last September in the Netherlands for possession of Ecstasy pills.

Kaligis is also flying back and forth to Aceh in northern tip of Sumatra, defending a man held responsible for the death of 338 passengers on board the Gurita ferry which sank on Jan. 19.

He said Zarina asked him to be her lawyer after several consultations.

Kaligis asked her first to consult her father, who had earlier appointed Amir Syamsuddin, and said he had hesitated to take the case because of the code of ethics and his familiarity with Amir, his former apprentice.

Kaligis denied reports saying he was the legal coordinator, saying they were all acting as individuals. Zarina became his client in December.

His private interest in the case, he said, was the wide range of sentencing in drug cases. He said Zarina's case was very interesting as it was clear that sound jurisprudence in these cases had yet to be developed.

He said sentences have been handed down even in cases of possessing very few pills. Kaligis said experts' opinions should be sought on whether the possession of, for instance, less than 30 grams of Ecstasy, was harmful to one's health.

Kaligis said he didn't take Zarina's case for its celebrity value -- actress Ida Iasha, Admiral (ret.) Sudomo and Rahmawati Soekarnoputri are former clients.

Regarding fees Kaligis only said: "It can be very expensive or free of charge."

An example? "When I'm lazy about taking a divorce case I could charge Rp 100 million; but if I think this woman must really be helped I would only charge court fees."

Henry Yosodiningrat, 43, also said Zarina requested his services. He said he didn't know Zarina before, and didn't quite know why Zarina had asked him.

But he said after 19 years as a lawyer he deserved to be trusted. Amir Syamsuddin, with whom Henry is defending Oki, conveyed Zarina's request.

He said lawyers cannot refuse requests to defend anybody. Only 30 percent of his clients paid, he said.

His office can charge around US$ 10,000, excluding success fees, for a company.

Henry's two sisters and two brothers have law degrees. He got his bachelors degree in law in 1978. He wanted to be a lawyer because he thought it was a noble job. Now he runs his office with one brother and two sisters at the Kartika Chandra building.

He said a case in Medan in 1995 was one which still makes him upset. He defended one lecturer and three students charged with murdering a female student at Universitas Nomensen. The case took five months and he was sure the four men were scapegoats, but he failed to prove them innocent. (anr/04/13)