Pubdate: Thu, 14 Apr 2005
Source: Advertiser, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2005 Advertiser Newspapers Ltd
Contact:  http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

HOPE FOR $1M CORBY REWARD

SUPPORTERS of accused drug trafficker Schapelle Corby are trying to raise a 
$1 million reward for anyone with information which would clear the 
Australian in a Bali court.

Corby will learn today if she will face the death penalty if found guilty 
of the charge.

Prosecutors will tell the Denpasar District Court what punishment the 
27-year-old former Gold Coast beauty student should receive if convicted.

Corby was caught with 4.1 kg of marijuana in her unlocked bodyboard bag at 
Denpasar airport in October, but she says she is innocent and the drugs 
were planted, probably by a baggage handler involved in an Australian drug 
ring.

Gold Coast businessman Ron Bakir said he had posted a $100,000 reward and 
challenged other businessmen to donate $1,000 to the fund, which he hopes 
will reach $1 million.

"We have a case to complete and we are asking any Australian who might have 
any information that will clear Schapelle Corby's name to come forward," he 
told Channel 9.

"I've come and I've donated $100,000 and I ask for any businessman to come 
forward and assist in the donation of $1,000 so we can make the reward $1 
million.

"It's a very important case, there's a girl's life at stake and we look to 
help her.

"I ask anybody who has any information to please come forward." Mr Bakir 
admitted time was running out but Corby's defence team hoped to present as 
much information as possible to back its case during closing arguments next 
week.

"Since the last couple of weeks a lot of people have been coming out of the 
woodwork and giving us certain information," he said.

"It's unfortunate that our evidence has closed but we'll be trying to 
submit as much as we can next Thursday in our closing argument."

Mr Bakir said Corby's health was deteriorating daily.

"She's just stressed out, she's losing hope and as each day goes by she's 
just losing complete hope," he said.

Mr Bakir said a letter containing bullets sent to the Indonesian consulate 
in Perth and threatening to kill staff unless Corby was released from jail 
did not help Corby's case.

"The Australian public is outraged about what's been going on but generally 
this sort of stuff does not help us at all," he said.

"And we urge the people responsible to please reconsider their position 
because it's not good."
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MAP posted-by: Beth