Bali court upholds death sentence on British grandmother
INDONESIA: An Indonesian court on Monday rejected the appeal
of a 56-year-old British grandmother sentenced to death for trafficking
cocaine into the resort island of Bali.
A spokesman said the Bali High Court, sitting in the island's capital
Denpasar, upheld the death sentence given to Lindsay Sandiford in
January, which had been a shock verdict after prosecutors recommended 15
years imprisonment.
The judges ruled the original decision of the Denpasar district court
was "accurate and correct," said spokesman Makkasau, who like many
Indonesians goes by one name, adding that Sandiford would be informed of
the decision as soon as possible.
Indonesian police say she was at the centre of a drugs importing ring
involving three other Britons after a drugs haul worth $2.4 million was
found in her suitcase as she arrived on a flight from Bangkok last May.
The high court gave her 14 days to appeal to the Supreme Court
starting from the day she is informed of the verdict.
If the Supreme Court rejects her appeal, she can seek a judicial
review of the decision from the same court. After that, only the
president can grant her a reprieve.
Sandiford had argued that she was forced into transporting the 4.79
kilos (10.6 pounds) of cocaine in order to protect her children whose
safety was at stake.
But the court ruled that she had not admitted her crime and had
damaged Indonesia's hardline stance on drugs as well as Bali's
reputation as a tourism destination.
It rejected the argument that Sandiford had acted to protect her
children, and said there were "no mitigating circumstances" to allow for
leniency.
British human rights charity Reprieve claimed before Sandiford was
sentenced to death that she had been "exploited by drug traffickers, who
targeted her because of her vulnerability and her fear for the safety of
her children".
Britain raised objections at the time of her sentencing, with junior
foreign minister Hugo Swire saying: "We strongly object to the death
penalty." London also raised concerns in February that Indonesian
authorities mistreated Sandiford in prison, alleging in a submission to
the Denpasar district court she was threatened with a gun and deprived
of sleep.
Three other Britons arrested in connection with the case received
lighter sentences.
Julian Ponder was sentenced in January to six years in jail after
being found guilty of possessing 23.04 grams (0.8 ounces) of cocaine
with a street value of $6,000, found in the bedroom of his luxury Bali
villa.
He was arrested after receiving a package from Sandiford in a police
sting mounted after she was caught with the cocaine in her suitcase.
Rachel Dougall was sentenced to 12 months for failing to report
Sandiford's crime and Paul Beales received four years for possession of
3.6 grams of hashish but was cleared of drug trafficking. They were
sentenced in December.
AFP
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