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.