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.