Print Email
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 04/11/2011
The teenaged boy who was arrested in Bali over alleged possession of marijuana has broken down in court, begging to be set free.
Transcript
ALI MOORE, PRESENTER: The 14-year-old Australian boy who’s facing drug charges in Indonesia has broken down in court, begging the judge to set him free.
The teenager was arrested early last month for allegedly buying marijuana on Bali’s Kuta Beach.
Today the court heard that the boy’s parents knew he had a drug problem and they’d brought their son to Bali to get him away from marijuana.
The ABC’s George Roberts is in Denpasar.
GEORGE ROBERTS, REPORTER: Another day in court, another overwhelming struggle just to get to the door. If there was any need for a reminder of how much trouble he could be in, this kind of welcome really brings it home.
MUHAMMAD RIFAN, DEFENCE LAWYER: The boy is begging to the judge can be home soon, back to the friend, back to the school.
GUSTI GEDE PUTU ATMAJA, PROSECUTOR: He is cry. Today he cry, his mum’s crying too.
GEORGE ROBERTS: To avoid spending six month in jail the boy’s lawyers must urge for his release to get help for a marijuana problem.
The father made that case clear, telling the court it was peer pressure that drove his son to smoke it.
GUSTI GEDE PUTU ATMAJA: He couldn’t stop. And the father, they came to Bali with his friend, a good boy, to protect him to not use that drug anymore.
GEORGE ROBERTS: That didn’t go to plan, but they’ve convinced prosecutors their next attempt to get their son to quit will.
GUSTI GEDE PUTU ATMAJA: From now on he’s going to stop. And the father going to take him to the rehabilitation in Australia.
GEORGE ROBERTS: The chief prosecutor may be sounding sympathetic but in a country which takes a hardline on drugs the prosecutions final recommendation for sentencing will be influenced by the attorney-general’s office.
So politics could still play a part in whether he gets jail time.
A week away until they find out.
George Roberts, Lateline.
Do you have a comment or a story idea? Get in touch with the Lateline team by clicking here.
Related posts:
Views: 0