Last Update: Monday, July 4, 2005. 3:32pm (AEST) Schapelle Corby ... judges agree to new hearings. (Reuters)
Corby judges to hear new evidence
By Tim Palmer in Jakarta and staff reporters
High Court judges in Bali are to reopen the case of convicted drug trafficker Schapelle Corby to hear from new witnesses, possibly including one who will admit owning the marijuana found in Corby's bag.
The judges have offered Corby's lawyers the chance to put forward witnesses who can demonstrate that the 27-year-old from the Gold Coast did not own the drugs found at Bali airport last October.
The Chief Judge of Bali's High Court, Made Lingga, said he believed the original hearing in Bali's District Court was sufficient but in any case the judges would agree to calls by Corby's defence team to reopen hearings in the District Court in Denpasar.
The same judges that convicted Corby are to preside over the new hearings.
Judge Made Lingga said the High Court judges did not want to limit the defence team but as the list of potential witnesses could stretch to dozens, asked that the defence only bring the main witnesses directly relevant to ownership of the drugs.
Judges said they expected the defence team to organise to present the witnesses themselves and anticipated that would include a person in custody who would admit to owning the marijuana.
Corby's mother, Rosleigh Rose, is thrilled with the news.
"Mercedes just said 'mum, we're not sure 100 per cent but we're pretty sure the judges are open for it to be opened up again'," Ms Rose said.
"So I don't know how that works or whatever but it's just excellent news, really good." Hard work
Perth QC Mark Trowell, who was asked by the Australian Government to help in Corby's appeal, says he is delighted the Indonesian judges will hear new evidence.
Mr Trowell has been at the centre of a dispute between Corby's Australian and Indonesian legal teams. At one stage, he accused the Indonesian legal team of suggesting judges hearing the case could be bribed.
He says he has only just heard about the development in the Indonesian High Court but he has been in contact with some of Corby's legal team.
He says it is now up to others to determine what involvement he will have in the case.
"I don't know but I can just say I'm delighted and it's good to see that a lot of hard work has paid off for her," he said.
When asked if he had been involved in some of the work that might have led to the decision, he said it was for others to judge.
"I'm not going to try to claim credit for this decision - a lot of people have worked towards this and it's just a wonderful thing to see," he said.
