Bali drug trial: De Malmanche not offered lawyer

Antony De Malmanche, left, was intercepted at Bali's international airport in December carrying 1.7kg of methamphetamine. Photo / Supplied

A Bali drug squad officer has told the trial of an accused Kiwi drug mule he didn't seek a translator or lawyer for the accused man when he was first interrogated.

Antony De Malmanche was intercepted at Bali's international airport in December carrying 1.7kg of methamphetamine and he could face the death penalty.

He argues he was the victim of an online scam and didn't know the drugs were in his backpack.

Bali drug squad officer I Made Bayu told his trial on Thursday that de Malmanche was not questioned in the presence of a lawyer and was not offered one.

A fellow officer acted as a translator.

"Because I can't speak English, I asked my friend Ngurah Wirya to be the interpreter," he said.

The officer believed there was no need to fingerprint the drugs after de Malmanche said the backpack was his.

"The defendant had admitted that the bag was his," he said.

Outside court, de Malmanche's lawyer, Chris Harno, slammed the investigators' actions. "If the fingerprinting was done, I believe you would find (the drugs) didn't belong to Antony," he said.

The trial continues next week.

- AAP