Corby gets 20 years in prison<\/p>\n
Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post\/Denpasar<\/p>\n
Ignoring mounting pressure from Australia, the Denpasar District
\nCourt sentenced on Friday Schapelle Leigh Corby to 20 years in
\nprison for smuggling marijuana into Bali.<\/p>\n
Despite Corby's claims that the drugs were put in her boogie
\nboard bag by drug ring members during transit in Sydney,
\npresiding judge Linton Sirait pronounced the 27-year-old
\ndefendant guilty beyond a doubt of bringing 4.2 kilograms of
\nmarijuana into Bali last October.<\/p>\n
The sentence was, however, much lighter than the maximum death
\npenalty allowed under the law on narcotics.<\/p>\n
Upon the reading of the verdict, Corby's lawyers said they
\nwould appeal.<\/p>\n
The reaction of Corby's family was dramatic. Upon the
\ncompletion of the reading of the verdict in the packed courtroom,
\nCorby's sister Mercedes rose from her chair and shouted at the
\npanel of judges that the verdict was unfair. She also cried out
\nthat Corby had to be sent home as she was innocent.<\/p>\n
Corby, who was wearing a black blouse and light trousers,
\nburst into tears when Linton pronounced her guilty and quickly
\nhugged her parents.<\/p>\n
\"It's OK, it's OK,\" she said to calm them.<\/p>\n
The Australian public rallied behind Corby after intense media
\ncoverage, with Australian media polls consistently showing that
\npeople were convinced of Corby's innocence.<\/p>\n
Public reaction, which may jeopardize Indonesian and
\nAustralian relations again, have put the Australian government in
\nan awkward position. Amid strong public pressure, Prime Minister
\nJohn Howard appealed to the Australian public to respect the
\nverdict while foreign minister Alexander Downer appeased Corby's
\nfamily by offering them legal assistance in her appeal. \"She was
\nsubject to the justice system of another country ... we have
\nneither the power nor the right to intervene,\" said Howard, as
\nquoted by AFP.<\/p>\n
\"An enormous amount of abuse directed to Indonesia and public
\ncriticism of Indonesia is not going to help. At the end of the
\nday it is much more likely to be counterproductive than
\nproductive,\" Downer said, as quoted by Reuters.<\/p>\n
Despite desperate efforts by the Australian government to
\nappease the public, hostility against the Indonesian government
\nis becoming apparent.<\/p>\n
Australian security personnel had to beef up security at
\nIndonesian facilities as well as at the homes of Indonesian
\ndiplomats in Australia following death threats against them. The
\nverdict has also stirred negative sentiment among Australians
\nvacationing in Bali. Similar to reactions back home, Australian
\ntourists on the resort island have also called on the Australian
\npublic to boycott Bali, which has for years been the playground
\nof Australian tourists.<\/p>\n
As the Australian public opposed the verdict, public opinion
\nin Indonesia is the exact opposite. Radio programs in Jakarta
\nrevealed that the local public believed that Corby deserved stern
\npunishment as a deterrent to other drug dealers and users. Others
\nin Bali insisted that Corby was guilty and should be sternly
\npunished, although they doubted that Corby would serve the time
\nstated in the sentence. \"In just a short time, she will be
\ntransferred to Australia and then set free and she will come here
\nagain on a different passport,\" said Gusti Alit, who watched the
\ntrial screened outside the courtroom, as quoted by AFP.<\/p>\n
Corby was not the only Australian to face justice in
\nIndonesia. Nine other Australians are being prosecuted after
\nbeing arrested last month also in Bali, also on drug charges.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/corby-gets-20-years-in-prison-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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