Schapelle Corby
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Schapelle Leigh Corby is a 27-year-old trainee beauty therapist from the Gold Coast, Queensland Australia, who is accused of importing drugs into Indonesia.
Corby was arrested on October 8 2004 for allegedly trying to smuggle 4.1 kg/9.0 lbs of marijuana from Australia to Bali, Indonesia. Indonesian customs officials at Denpasar airport found the marijuana in her boogie board bag.
Corby, who has maintained her innocence throughout, is currently being tried in the Denpasar district court in Kerobokan, Bali.
The Australian media and general public have maintained an intense interest in the proceedings of her trial.
The defence case
John Patrick Ford, a remand prisoner in Port Phillip Prison, Australia, has given evidence in Corby's defence. Ford stated that he overheard a conversation within a prison between two men and alleges one of the men planted the marijuana in Corby's boogie board bag in Brisbane with the intent of having another person remove it in Sydney. Ford went on to state that a simple mixup resulted in the marijuana not being removed and subsequently being transported to Indonesia, all without Corby's knowledge. Once in Indonesia the marijuana was quickly located by Indonesian customs officials.
Ford stated that the drugs were owned by Ron Vigenser, who had been a prisoner at the same jail as Ford (but was recently released) but has refused to name the man who he states planted the drugs for fear that he, and possibly Corby, would be killed if he did so. Vigenser has strenuously denied any connection with the drugs in the Australian media and has reportedly given a statement to the Australian Federal Police.
Following communication from Corby's legal team and the Australian government, the Indonesia government made a request under the Mutual Assistance Treaty for Ford to be transported to Indonesia to give evidence.
The prosecution has attacked Ford's evidence, pointing out that his evidence is entirely hearsay and that he is facing trial for several serious offences and that he may have wanted a "taste of freedom" by testifying in Corby's trial.
An AUD1,000,000 reward has been offered for information to substantiate claims made by Ford about baggage handlers. The public has been asked to donate funds to support the reward through a web site, www.dontShootSchapelle.com
Involvement of Ron Bakir
A Gold Coast business man, Ron Bakir, is personally funding a significant part of Corby's defence. Bakir claims to have no relationship to Corby other than being from the same city. Bakir reportedly decided to assist in funding Corby's defence due to his belief that a miscarriage of justice could occur if she was not properly represented. Bakir has pledged $100,000 towards the $1,000,000 reward fund.
Prior to the prosecution announcing their sentencing recommendation Bakir accused the prosecution team of seeking a bribe to reduce the requested sentence. The prosecution team and the Indonesian government vehemently denied that this occured. Corby's legal team have openly admitted their anger at Bakir making these statements before the sentencing recommendation, fearing that it may have encouraged the prosecution to seek a more severe penalty.
Conduct of the case
Media interest in the Corby case is intense . The Australian consulate put pressure on the Indonesian government to avoid a death penalty sentence, and to agree to allow Corby to serve some or all of her prison term in Australia under a transfer agreement, should she be convicted. Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has stated that Corby will serve her entire sentence if transferred, with no question of a retrial. Life sentences in Indonesia do not have any prospect of remission, but the President does have discretion to grant a presidential pardon.
Prosecutors have requested a life sentence with a fine of AUD$13,400. They stated that they asked for a lenient sentence because of Corby's politeness in court. Outside the courthouse following proceedings, Chief Judge Linton Siriat did state that he could still impose the death penalty by firing squad if he and the other judges find Corby guilty.
By the conclusion of Corby's trial, when prosecutors were preparing to announce their recommendations for sentencing, Corby's health appeared to be under obvious strain. On 14 April Corby collapsed in the courtroom (a fellow prisoner, to whom she had been handcuffed, had also collapsed en route to the courtroom, while the pair were under a barrage of Indonesian and Australian cameras). Before suspending court proceedings, Chief Judge Linton Siriat made a pointed observation suggestive of his doubts about Corby's honest behaviour in respect of her health; the trial was deferred so that the court could seek medical advice from the prosecution's doctor on Corby's health.
On 21 April the trial reconvened (with Corby receiving a sedative before her appearance).
Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe took Prime Minister John Howard to task for not doing more to save Corby. "The photographs of Schapelle Corby broke my heart," he said. "The first thing I thought this morning was, like, how can I get Johnny Howard on the phone and say "Look, what are you gonna do, mate, what are you gonna do? - that's ridiculous, what if it was your daughter"?
Corby was compelled to take a pregnancy test due to a Bali newspaper's claiming she was sick from being pregnant to another foreigner in the jail. The result of the test showed she was not pregnant. Her family angrily denied claims that she is conducting a relationship in the jail.
A verdict is expected towards the end of May. Chief Judge Sirait has told an Australian newspaper that he has not heard anything to prove Corby is innocent. [1] He has never acquitted an accused drug offender in about 500 cases in his 15 years on the bench.
See also
- Bali Nine, nine Australian citizens accused of involvement in a plan to smuggle heroin valued at A$4 million from Indonesia to Australia and could receive Indonesian death penalty