Corby gets 20 years in prison

Corby gets 20 years in prison

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post/Denpasar

Ignoring mounting pressure from Australia, the Denpasar District
Court sentenced on Friday Schapelle Leigh Corby to 20 years in
prison for smuggling marijuana into Bali.

Despite Corby's claims that the drugs were put in her boogie
board bag by drug ring members during transit in Sydney,
presiding judge Linton Sirait pronounced the 27-year-old
defendant guilty beyond a doubt of bringing 4.2 kilograms of
marijuana into Bali last October.

The sentence was, however, much lighter than the maximum death
penalty allowed under the law on narcotics.

Upon the reading of the verdict, Corby's lawyers said they
would appeal.

The reaction of Corby's family was dramatic. Upon the
completion of the reading of the verdict in the packed courtroom,
Corby's sister Mercedes rose from her chair and shouted at the
panel of judges that the verdict was unfair. She also cried out
that Corby had to be sent home as she was innocent.

Corby, who was wearing a black blouse and light trousers,
burst into tears when Linton pronounced her guilty and quickly
hugged her parents.

"It's OK, it's OK," she said to calm them.

The Australian public rallied behind Corby after intense media
coverage, with Australian media polls consistently showing that
people were convinced of Corby's innocence.

Public reaction, which may jeopardize Indonesian and
Australian relations again, have put the Australian government in
an awkward position. Amid strong public pressure, Prime Minister
John Howard appealed to the Australian public to respect the
verdict while foreign minister Alexander Downer appeased Corby's
family by offering them legal assistance in her appeal. "She was
subject to the justice system of another country ... we have
neither the power nor the right to intervene," said Howard, as
quoted by AFP.

"An enormous amount of abuse directed to Indonesia and public
criticism of Indonesia is not going to help. At the end of the
day it is much more likely to be counterproductive than
productive," Downer said, as quoted by Reuters.

Despite desperate efforts by the Australian government to
appease the public, hostility against the Indonesian government
is becoming apparent.

Australian security personnel had to beef up security at
Indonesian facilities as well as at the homes of Indonesian
diplomats in Australia following death threats against them. The
verdict has also stirred negative sentiment among Australians
vacationing in Bali. Similar to reactions back home, Australian
tourists on the resort island have also called on the Australian
public to boycott Bali, which has for years been the playground
of Australian tourists.

As the Australian public opposed the verdict, public opinion
in Indonesia is the exact opposite. Radio programs in Jakarta
revealed that the local public believed that Corby deserved stern
punishment as a deterrent to other drug dealers and users. Others
in Bali insisted that Corby was guilty and should be sternly
punished, although they doubted that Corby would serve the time
stated in the sentence. "In just a short time, she will be
transferred to Australia and then set free and she will come here
again on a different passport," said Gusti Alit, who watched the
trial screened outside the courtroom, as quoted by AFP.

Corby was not the only Australian to face justice in
Indonesia. Nine other Australians are being prosecuted after
being arrested last month also in Bali, also on drug charges.