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Australia: Corby needs a 'legal miracle'
The Courier Mail
Friday 20 Jan 2006 THE former lawyer for convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby said little can be done now to help the Queensland woman following the rejection of her appeal. Lawyer Robin Tampoe, who once acted for Corby, said she now needed a legal miracle to have her jail term reduced. "Unless something absolutely extraordinary happened now that maybe would create the ability to reopen the trial or have a new trial allocated, she's going to sit there for quite a while to come," Mr Tampoe said on ABC Radio today. The Indonesian Supreme Court yesterday announced it had increased the jail sentence of Corby, 28, to 20 years. The decision overturned a successful appeal to Bali's High Court last year that reduced her original jail term of 20 years to 15 years. Supreme Court criminal division chief clerk Zaroef Richard said the latest decision had been made on January 12. "The conclusion of the verdict (is) that it returns to the decision of the Denpasar Court - that is, 20 years," Mr Richard said. Meanwhile, the man who supported Corby's defence said today he was not surprised that her sentence had been reinstated. Gold Coast businessman Ron Bakir backed the defence team until he fell out with Corby's mother Rosleigh Rose in the middle of last year. "The system in Indonesia is a totally different system than Australia so I was not surprised that they've increased the sentence," he said today. "It's disappointing they increased it, no doubt about it, but in my view it was expected." Mr Bakir said the arrest of Corby's 18-year-old half brother James Kisina on drug related charges also would harm her prospects of winning freedom. Mr Kisina, who was with Corby when she was arrested at Bali airport with 4.1kg of marijuana in her bodyboard bag in October 2004, allegedly stole cannabis and cash during a violent southern Brisbane home invasion on Tuesday. Mr Kisin's lawyer claimed that his client acted in the hope of forcing a couple, said to be suspected drug dealers, to reveal information that could clear his sister. But police allege he is a cannabis exporter and smoker who stole drugs and cash during the home invasion in which a woman was tied up and a man bashed with a baseball bat. In a bail application, duty solicitor Stefan Simms said Kisina admitted taking part in the home invasion but denied many of the police allegations. Mr Simms said the crime was motivated by a "build-up of anger, frustration and deep upset" at the jailing of Corby in Bali. He said Mr Kisina was convinced the drugs were planted on Corby and was pursuing "a vendetta against people who may have information that may assist his sister's case". Mr Simms said Mr Kisina was distressed and worried about the impact his arrest would have on his sister's situation. Magistrate Peter Webber said he found it hard to accept Mr Kisina's story, and refused bail. Mr Kisina was remanded in custody until a committal hearing on March 8. Ms Rose is in Bali visiting Corby but her partner, Greg Martin, was in court. He refused to comment outside the court. A family spokesman said Corby had been told of the arrest and was "terribly shocked and distressed". http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,17875605%255E421,00.html
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