Australian yachtsman gets three month sentence

Australian yachtsman gets three month sentence

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post/Denpasar

Australian yachtsman Christopher Packer has been sentenced to
three months jail by the Denpasar District Court on Friday for
his failure to declare six firearms to local port authorities.

With this verdict, it means that the wealthy 52-year-old
adventurer, who has been in custody since Nov. 20 last year, will
be freed in two days time. On Sunday, Packer will be released
from Kerobokan penitentiary.

The court found that the first charge by prosecutor Putu
Indriati, that the Australian violated article 1 of Law
12/Emergency/1951 on firearms possession, was not proved. But he
was found guilty under article 10 and 14 of a 1936 Law on
firearms possession, for intentionally not reporting firearms to
Benoa port authorities.

The verdict was three months less than that demanded by the
prosecutor.

"I'll study the court's decision," said Putu Indriati after
the trial. She was given seven days to appeal.

Packer seemed happy with the decision.

"I feel much better now. I'll start over again. The first
thing I'll do is to spend more time sleeping," Packer said after
the trial.

Packer's lawyer, M. Rifan, said his client accepted the
decision and would not appeal.

He said that if the prosecutor did not challenge the verdict,
then Packer walk free and all evidence confiscated by the police
would be returned.

"This (case) is only one of many violations by foreigners. My
client should have complied with Indonesian law. But one thing is
certain, he did not do it intentionally," Rifan said.

Packer was arrested by Bali water police who boarded his yacht
MV Lissa in waters off Benoa on Nov. 19 last year, apparently
acting upon a tip off from a disgruntled ex-crew member about the
existence of firearms and drugs on the vessel.

After a thorough search, the police found six unreported
firearms and 2,784 bullets of various calibers. The firearms
comprised two 12 gauge shotguns, two rifles, a .357 revolver and
a 9 mm Glock pistol.

Packer, who once won the prestigious Sydney to Hobart Yacht
Race and has sailed as far as South America, earlier stated that
the firearms were mainly for self-protection and sport, arguing
that Indonesian waters, particularly the Strait of Malacca,
Lombok Strait and Bangka Strait, were infested with pirates.

Rifan said his client, who was in the early stage of what was
expected to be a voyage around the world, was not familiar with
local regulations and policies on firearms possession in
Indonesia.

According to the authorities, the yacht left Australia on
Sept. 14 last year and stopped at several places, including the
East Nusa Tenggara town of Kupang, before heading to Benoa.

The yacht, which anchored at Serang island from Nov. 12 to
Nov. 19, was planning to continue its trip to Nusa Penida and
several other islands before heading to Malaysia, Thailand, South
Asia, Africa and Europe.