REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Saturday May 7, 2005

INDONESIAN prosecutors confidently wrapped up their case against accused drug smuggler Schapelle Corby, dismissing defence testimony and her tearful plea of innocence as emotional words with no legal weight.

They told a Bali court they had presented enough damning evidence to have her locked away for life.

The three judges in the Denpasar District Court appeared to nod in agreement during the prosecution’s summation.

Defence lawyer Lily Lubis also appeared pessimistic ahead of a verdict from the judges.

In their final statement to the court, prosecutors denied they had ignored key evidence the defence claims shows Corby is innocent of smuggling 4.1 kg of marijuana into Bali airport in October 2004.

Corby’s legal team had tried to sway the judges with emotional arguments, instead of legal fact, they said.

”We conclude legally that there was nothing to respond to,” said prosecutor Ni Wayan Sinaryati of the defence case.

”According to us it is natural and common in the defence effort for lawyers to have a different view,” she said.

Sinaryati said there had been little about ‘real justice’ in a twohour defence submission read to the court ahead of Corby’s own personal appeal for freedom.

”To achieve justice we must follow the law,” she said.

Sinaryati argued it was legal fact that Corby had brought the drugs to Bali in her unlocked body board bag.

She said defence witness statements from Corby’s family and friends couldn’t be trusted.