Lawyer Found Innocent in Lenghty Legal Battle Against Insurance Giant

This 2016 file photo shows the entrance to Indonesia’s Supreme Court in Jakarta. (Antara Photo/Rosa Panggabean)

Jakarta. Alvin Lim, a lawyer and founder of Tangerang-based LQ Indonesia Lawfirm, has come out unscathed in a three-year-long legal battle with Asuransi Allianz Life Indonesia, the local arm of a German multinational insurance company, the law firm said in a recent statement.  

In April 2018, Alvin was named a suspect and four other people in criminal cases after Allianz Life Indonesia accused them of forging insurance documents. However, the South Jakarta District Court acquitted Alvin a year later. The public prosecutor’s subsequent appeals against Alvin’s acquittal to the high court and the Supreme Court were dismissed last year. 

“The Supreme Court’s decision is clear and final, that the case is dismissed,” Alvin said in the statement received by the Globe on Thursday. 

“I hope all parties respect the Supreme Court’s decision and restore my good name because the court found me innocent,” Alvin said. 

Alvin crossed paths with Allianz Life Indonesia in September 2017 when he represented a client, Ifranius Algadri, who pressed criminal charges against former executives at the company for failing to reimburse his Rp 16 million ($1,100) insurance claim.

The case drew public attention at the time because the claimant, instead of that go through the civil court like other insurance disputes, decided to press criminal charges on the insurer’s executives. Allianz Life Indonesia said at the time that the charge was damaging to its reputation. 

The insurance company subsequently agreed to pay Rp 700 million in compensation for Ifranius to withdraw the lawsuit, LQ Indonesia said in the statement.

Moments later, it was Allianz Life Indonesia’s turn to press criminal charges against four other people, alleging them forging insurance documents. During the investigation, the police named the four and Alvin, their lawyer, as suspects.  

The South Jakarta District Court later found two people guilty of forgery and sentenced them to 2.5 years in prison. The court acquitted Alvin and two others.