Saturday Jan 21 2006

The lawyer acting for Schapelle Corby has ruled out asking the Indonesian President for a pardon for the 28-year-old, saying that would be an admission of guilt.

Erwin Siregar has vowed to keep fighting for Corby's release, despite the reinstatement of her 20-year sentence.

Last October the Gold Coast woman's lawyers secured a five-year reduction in her sentence.

However, when the Supreme Court over-ruled a new appeal against that sentence last week, it upheld a counter-appeal by the prosecution.

That resulted in the original sentence of 20 years being reinstated.

Mr. Siregar says Corby burst into tears when she was told of the ruling.

"She is angry, she is crying and I think it's normal for somebody, this marijuana does not belong to her and then she gets 20 years," he said.

Mr. Siregar says there are two reasons for not requesting a pardon.

"Especially for a drugs case, 99 per cent [of the time] the president will refuse," Mr. Siregar said.

"The second reason not to ask [for a] pardon from the President is she must say that she's guilty and she is not."

In making its decision, the Supreme Court also ordered the 4.1 kilograms of marijuana found in Corby's boogie bag be destroyed.

But Mr. Siregar says he plans to launch another appeal with the Supreme Court based on new evidence.

He says he is planning to visit Australia to interview Corby's half-brother, James Sioeli Kisina, and his lawyer.

Kisina, 18, yesterday faced court on charges including producing and possessing a dangerous drug, deprivation of liberty and assault occasioning bodily harm.

The charges relate to the alleged robbery of a drug dealer.

Kisina's lawyer says he went to the dealer's property in search of information that may help Corby.

Meanwhile, federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock says he wants to see a prisoner transfer system set up with the Indonesian Government as soon as possible.

Mr. Ruddock says talks have already been held but it is up to the Indonesian Government to sign up to any agreement.

"We are wanting the matter progressed as quickly as possible but Indonesia, ultimately, has to be a party to it," Mr. Ruddock said.

"We'll press it as quickly as we can but we can't make them do what they don't want to do."

Monday January 23, 2006

Police allegations that Schapelle Corby's half-brother was involved in exporting the cannabis that put her in jail could be tested in court within weeks, according to a report.

The Australian newspaper reports lawyers for James Sioeli Kisina, 18, said they were considering a Supreme Court appeal after the allegations were used by Queensland police to successfully oppose their client's bail.

A sworn affidavit by arresting officer Detective Sergeant Dean Godfrey said: "He (Mr. Kisina) is suspected of some involvement in the exportation of cannabis for which his sister has received a 20-year imprisonment sentence."

The affidavit also alleged Mr. Kisina, who was arrested after a Brisbane home invasion last Tuesday, had a "propensity to commit offences" and that he suffered from a "lack of parental guidance".

Mr. Kisina was 16 and with his sister when she was caught at Bali's Ngurah Rai airport in October 2004 carrying 4.1kg of cannabis in a body board bag.

Mr. Kisina carried the bag to the Customs desk, but when asked by officials if it was his, Corby interrupted and claimed ownership.

After two days of interrogation, Balinese police released Mr. Kisina after finding no proof of involvement in the crime.