Indonesian speaker says Schapelle letter 'is not evidence'

MELBOURNE - Indonesian courts must be left to decide the fate of accused Australian drug smuggler Schapelle Corby without undue interference from Australia, the Speaker of Indonesia's Parliament has said.

The Australian Government sent a letter on Friday in the name of Attorney-General Phillip Ruddock to the Gold Coast woman's Indonesian lawyer, Lily Lubis.

The letter is to be presented to the court trying Corby, 27, who has always maintained the 4.1kg of marijuana found in her bodyboard bag at a Bali airport last October was planted by someone else.

Corby has begged Australian Prime Minister John Howard to help her.

The letter outlined allegations about the involvement of Australian baggage handlers in drug smuggling.

Speaking in Melbourne yesterday, Hidayat Nur Wahid said the Australian Government was welcome to write in Corby's defence but should not expect to influence her trial.

Nur Wahid said Howard "has to keep the life of his citizen ... but of course the Indonesian court would never be pressured because of such a letter.

"A letter is a letter. A letter is not evidence, unless the letter came with evidence."

Indonesia's chief prosecutor said yesterday he feared the Australian Government was trying to influence the verdict with the letter, and the chief judge said the letter would make no difference.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that chief prosecutor Ida Bagus Wiswantanu said the letter had no legal standing and should be ignored.

"I cannot say the Australian Government is interfering, but surely whoever sent the letter will try to gain influence in the decision," Wiswantanu said.

Chief judge Linton Sirait said the letter would make no difference to the decision on Corby, who faces life in prison. He did not believe there had been any intervention, but said: "We don't watch what happens in Australia. We just keep moving with what we are doing. We don't read Australian papers. We don't think it's important to follow developments in Australia."

Howard said the letter, requested by Corby's lawyers, contained "certain facts" about the baggage handlers accused of helping smuggle cocaine through Sydney Airport.

Corby has maintained she did not know there was marijuana in her bodyboard bag and believes the drugs were planted at Brisbane airport, possibly by baggage handlers involved in a domestic drug-running operation.

Howard denied allegations that the Australian Government was trying to influence the case.

"The letter is not interference, the letter represents the provision of factual information that the defence lawyers are entitled to have, they asked for, and it has been made available to the court."

He said he had been told Corby's defence wanted the court to see footage from the Nine Network showing alleged involvement by Sydney Airport drug smugglers, but the court had refused.

Howard earlier said the Australian Government would provide the lawyers for the Bali Nine with a similar letter to the one sent to Corby's lawyers if a proper request was made.

Nine Australians were arrested in Bali on April 17, allegedly preparing to import several kilograms of heroin into Australia.

"They are entitled, like Schapelle Corby, to a presumption of innocence," Howard told Southern Cross Broadcasting.

"Our job is to help Australians who are charged with offences overseas, to provide [them] with all the information and assistance that we properly can."

Treasurer Peter Costello said he wanted Corby to receive a fair trial but it was important that Australia did not interfere in the Bali justice system.

- AAP