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Court to reopen Aus drug case
04/07/2005 12:29 - (SA)
Jakarta - An Indonesian appeal court on Monday ordered the reopening of the trial of a young Australian woman who was sentenced to 20 years in jail for smuggling drugs onto the resort island of Bali.
Bali's high court has ordered the district court in the island's capital Denpasar to hear Australian witnesses put forward by lawyers defending Schapelle Corby, said chief judge Made Lingga.
"The High Court has ordered the district court to examine more witnesses as requested by the defendant's lawyers," Lingga said.
The witnesses who would be called to testify included Australian customs officials, airport staff and baggage handlers, he said.
Smuggling 4.1kg
Corby, 27, was in May sentenced to 20 years in prison for smuggling 4.1kg of marijuana.
The former beautician had claimed the marijuana was put in her luggage without her knowledge by an international drug smuggling syndicate.
Although the new hearing would be conducted by the district court, the final verdict would be passed by the High Court, Lingga said.
The judge said a date for the additional hearings had not been set.
The verdict and long sentence sparked public outrage across Australia, where many people protested her innocence and condemned the Indonesian justice system.
Security hoaxes
The Indonesian embassy in Australia has been a target of security hoaxes after two suspicious packages containing white powder were sent to the mission following Corby's conviction.
The powder was later declared harmless, but officials linked the scares to public anger over Corby.
Australia has proposed a prisoner exchange agreement with Indonesia to allow Corby and other Australians convicted in Indonesia to serve sentences in their home country.
The Indonesian government has said it would look into the possibility.
- AFP
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