Corby returns home amid media storm
>> KUTA: Australian Schapelle Corby was last night to finally return home from Bali 12 years after she was convicted of drug trafficking, in a long-awaited return that has triggered a media frenzy.
The beauty-school dropout was arrested in 2004 at the Indonesian resort island’s airport with marijuana stashed in her surfing gear, and sentenced to 20 years in jail. She was released early in 2014 but was required to remain on Bali another three years under the conditions of her parole. The 39-yearold has to leave the island now that period is over.
The story of Ms Corby has fascinated the public in her homeland like few others in recent times. Her steadfast proclamations of innocence and well-documented fight with mental illness in prison generated much sympathy in Australia, where she was often depicted as the victim of a conspiracy.
The view of her case is starkly different in Indonesia, where many see Ms Corby as a common criminal who simply broke the country’s tough anti-drugs laws.
Australian media had flown into Bali en masse and were camped outside the house where Ms Corby has been living in the popular Kuta area of the island.
Yesterday morning, dozens of Australian and other international media, as well as local journalists, were standing outside Ms Corby’s villa waiting for her to be taken to her parole officer. Police deployed at least 100 officers to secure her departure, from her house to the parole officer’s office and the airport.
Her sister Mercedes flew in to help her prepare to be deported back home by Indonesian authorities, and fight through the media scrum both in Bali and when she touched down in Australia.
Authorities on Bali have pledged to ensure she departs safely.
“We have coordinated with the immigration department, we will guard until she leaves for Australia,” said Hadi Purnomo, police chief of the Balinese capital Denpasar.
She was expected to fly out of Bali at around 10pm (11pm Thai time) and touch down in Brisbane this morning.