Verdict On Lawyer Today
May Stephen, Zara Shafruddin, Ignatius Stephen

Bandar Seri Begawan - The verdict on a local lawyer who was suspended from practice will be announced today.

He is Zamri Mohammad Taha whom the Chief Justice Dato Haji Mohd Saied suspended for nine months from practice for introducing a foreign lawyer who had not been admitted into the Brunei legal system.

The foreign counsel in question was British lawyer Thomas Darbyshire who with Counsel Zaini appeared before Justice Leonard in June in Chambers for a civil case involving His Royal Highness Prince Jefri Bolkiah and the Brunei Investment Agency.

Brunei's Solicitor General, Datin Magdalene Chong and Hjh Hasnah represented Brunei Investment Agency at the hearing. Five days later the Chief Justice wrote to Counsel Zamri asking why.

The Chief Justice's letter asked for an explanation of the "legal and professional basis and reasons for introducing the said foreign counsel to trial court as representing the defence, knowing full well that the foreign counsel had not been admitted ad hoc under the laws of Brunei."

The Chief Justice held a hearing in August 6 and subsequently suspended Zamri from practice for nine months. Zamri subsequently appealed to the higher court.

Before Appeals Court Judges, Justices Cons, Mortimer and Powers, Counsel Christopher Sawan for Zamri applied for the nine-month sentence to be reduced. He suggested that the sentence was excessive and since Zamri had already served more than two months therefore he should be let off forthwith.

The judges reserved their ruling till Saturday. Counsel Ahmad Jefri Abdul Rahman from Attorney General's Chambers assisted the court.  

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