A new last-minute witness for Schapelle Corby's case has come forward in a
Victorian prison, her Indonesian legal team says.
In a signed statement to the Australian Federal Police, the witness -
identified only as Paul - recalled a conversation he overheard earlier this
year in Port Phillip Prison between two other inmates, Corby's defence
counsel Hotman Paris Hutapea said.
One of the prisoners, allegedly identified as Ronnie Vigenser, was angry
that 4.1 kg of marijuana he claimed belonged to him ended up in Bali after
a bungled attempt to smuggle it from Brisbane to Sydney, Paul said in the
statement, according to Hutapea.
In the past Vigenser has flatly denied being involved in the Corby case.
A spokesman for Justice Minister Chris Ellison confirmed a statement had
been passed from the Attorney-General's Department to Corby's lawyers.
He could not provide any further details about the letter because it may
identify the person who provided the information.
According to Paul's statement, Vigenser said: "F*** Schapelle Corby, she
f****** cost me four kilos of smoke," Hutapea said.
In the statement, Paul said he would refuse to give evidence in Bali, but
agreed to testify via videophone link from Australia.
To arrange Paul's testimony, Corby's defence will apply for another
extension when her trial reopens at Denpasar District Court on August 3,
Hutapea said.
Corby is appealing against a 20-year sentence for drug smuggling, claiming
someone must have planted the stash in her luggage after she checked in at
Brisbane airport last October.
Paul's statement might corroborate evidence given by another Victorian
prisoner, John Patrick Ford, at Corby's original trial earlier this year.
Ford told the court that he overheard two prisoners - Paul and another man
named Terry - talking about how Vigenser was angry that his drugs had ended
up in Bali and thought it was funny that Corby was taking the blame.
At the original trial, a three Indonesian judge panel dismissed Ford's
testimony as hearsay.
The same three judges have since reopened the trial to hear new evidence.
Hutapea called on the AFP to use Paul's statement to arrest Vigenser.
Hutapea said he received a copy of Paul's statement from the federal
Attorney-General's Department on Thursday morning.
He had lobbied the Australian government earlier this month to track down
Paul and Terry to see whether they could confirm Ford's story.
Federal agent GD McLeod from the AFP's Melbourne office had interviewed
Paul, Hutapea said.
In the statement, Paul said he was standing three or four metres from
Vigenser in a big yard at the prison one morning when he overheard Vigenser
talking to another prisoner, Hutapea said.
Paul could not remember the exact date of the conversation, but said it was
about three months after Corby's arrest in October last year, Hutapea said.
Paul also said he had known Vigenser for a long time and could easily
identify him if needed.
He was too scared for his safety to publicly reveal the name of the other
prisoner with Vigenser, but had given it to police, Hutapea said.
Corby's defence will submit the statement, signed by Paul and McLeod, as
evidence at the August 3 hearing.
They will also apply to the Bali High Court via the district court for
another extension to facilitate Paul's testimony via videophone link.
Under Indonesian law, at least one public prosecutor, judge and defence
lawyer would have to travel to Melbourne to be present with Paul when he
delivered his testimony via videophone link to the court, Hutapea said.
An AFP spokeswoman confirmed the police had spoken to a man named in Ford's
earlier evidence.
"We have re-interviewed a man who was named in Mr Ford's affidavit," she said.
"The statement (this man) provided, he granted permission for this to be
forwarded to Ms Corby's defence team."
The AFP and Senator Ellison's office were unable to provide a copy of the
statement.
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