Corby lawyers to fly 12 Australians

Corby lawyers to fly 12 Australians

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Lawyers of drug convict Schapelle Leigh Corby are set to present
12 witnesses at the reopening of her trial soon to be held at the
Denpasar District Court. The witnesses will be flown in from
Australia, said Haposan Sihombing, one of Corby lawyers, on
Tuesday. Among the witnesses were Australian customs officials,
airport staff and baggage handlers.

Corby earlier claimed that the 4.2 kilograms of marijuana were
put into her luggage by an international drug syndicate, however
the presiding judge at the Denpasar District Court did not allow
witnesses to testify in the May trial on the possibility that the
drugs were planted in her luggage and declared her guilty,
sentencing her to 20 years in prison for drug smuggling.

According to Haposan, the move was expected to reduce the
sentence imposed in May by the Denpasar District Court on the 27-
year-old Australian woman.

The case reopening, the date of which has not been set, was
ordered by the Bali High Court on Monday at the request of
Corby's lawyers. Although the trial will be conducted at the
district court, the final verdict will be passed by the Bali High
Court.

Denpasar District Court is ready to reopen the trial, said
Linton Sirait, the district court president, as quoted by Antara
news agency.

Bali High Court president Made Lingga said that the trial
outcome would be used as material for the High Court in order to
decide whether it would accept Corby's appeal.

If the high court rejected the appeal, then Corby's lawyers
would have to file a final appeal with the Supreme Court.

Separately, the Australian government offered on Tuesday to
support new legal efforts to free the convicted drug smuggler
from prison after the appeal court ordered the reopening of her
trial, AFP reported.