Corby immovable on innocence
Corby immovable on innocence
Agencies, Denpasar, Bali
Convicted Australian drug smuggler Schapelle Corby was devastated
by an Indonesian court's decision to shave five years from her
20-year prison sentence, saying she should not have to spend even
one day in jail, her lawyer said on Thursday.
The Bali High Court this week upheld a lower court's guilty
verdict, but reduced Corby's sentence, saying she did not benefit
directly from her wrongdoing.
Corby, 28, had hoped her conviction would be overturned and
would make a second appeal to be released, this time to the
Supreme Court.
"She is so upset, she is crying and crying," her lawyer Erwin
Siregar said after meeting with Corby at a Bali prison. "She
said, "Why did the judge make that decision? I'm innocent."
Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer said earlier that
he was aware of the ruling, but that it was "a matter for the
courts".
Corby was sentenced in May to 20 years in prison for smuggling
4.2 kilograms of marijuana onto the resort island of Bali.
Ketut Arnawa, a spokesman for the Bali High Court, said judges
decided on Tuesday to reduce her sentence because marijuana was
less dangerous than some other drugs, and because Corby did not
gain personally from her criminal act.
After hearing the high court's decision, Siregar said Corby
told him, "I'm innocent. Why should I spend even one day in
jail?"
He said she told him to "go immediately to the Supreme Court
to file another appeal".
Corby's sister, Mercedes, told reporters before entering the
prison to be with her sister that she wished the Australian
government would do more, and said, "Why don't they help?"
Corby's defense team claims she was probably a victim of a
domestic drug ring involving corrupt Australian baggage handlers
who allegedly failed to retrieve the planted marijuana before
Corby's bags were transferred to an international flight.
The original sentence outraged many Australians, partly due to
its severity and partly because many believed her lawyers' claims
that international drug smugglers put the marijuana in her bag
without her knowledge.
The Bali High Court ordered the reopening of her original
trial to hear additional witnesses following a request from
Corby's lawyers. But the court has so far ruled out allowing two
Australian prisoners to give evidence via video links.
Authorities have linked several terror alerts to the case,
including a scare involving fake anthrax at the Indonesian
Embassy in Australia's capital, Canberra, last month.
Dozens of foreigners are imprisoned for drug smuggling every
year in Indonesia.
Two more young Australians went on trial on Thursday for
heroin smuggling in Bali, facing charges that carry the death
sentence if convicted.
Andrew Chan, 21, of Sydney and Scott Rush, 19, from Brisbane
were tried separately at the Denpasar District Court, where six
other fellow Australians have faced similar charges.
They are the latest members of the so-called "Bali Nine"
arrested in April for allegedly attempting to smuggle 11.2
kilograms of heroin to Australia.
The arrests sparked controversy in Australia after it emerged
that Australian police had tipped off their Indonesian
counterparts, even though Canberra opposes the death penalty.
Some critics said the nine should have been arrested on their
return to Australia.
The two trials were adjourned until next Thursday to hear
defense lawyers.
The cases of the six others are ongoing, while the lone woman
who makes up the nine is expected to stand trial on Friday.