Corby's defence facing uphill battle

CANBERRA - The harsh realities of building a new case to free Schapelle Corby are starting to crowd out the euphoria that followed Tuesday's announcement that the High Court in Bali was re-opening the case against her.

The court initially raised expectations that witnesses directly concerned with the smuggling of the cannabis found in Corby's boogie board cover at Denpasar airport late last year would give evidence, possibly supporting Corby's claim that she had no knowledge of the drugs.

But Corby's Jakarta-based celebrity lawyer, Hotman Paris Hutapea, conceded yesterday that he was unlikely to be able to present to the court the person allegedly responsible for stuffing the cannabis into the bag after it was handed to Qantas check-in staff at Brisbane airport.

Corby's case was under appeal when Bali High Court Chief Judge Made Lingga announced that the trial would be re-opened to allow the defence to present new witnesses, including one who lawyers had said was the owner of the cannabis.

"There is a possibility she could be freed if the alibi is true," he said.

Australian Justice Minister Chris Ellison said yesterday that immunity could be granted to any witness prepared to admit to owning the cannabis.

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said the Government would consider helping meet the costs of witnesses prepared to travel to Bali.

But yesterday Hutapea told ABC radio that he did not consider it likely that the person responsible for placing the drugs in Corby's bag would appear before the three judges who would hear the re-opened trial - the same panel which convicted Corby.

"It looks like pessimism to get the witness like that because nobody [did] interrogation in Australia, nobody helps us in Australia, so I'm not optimistic to get that," he said.

Instead, Hutapea said he intended to focus on Customs officials and airline and baggage staff at Brisbane.