First of the Bali nine sentenced

February 13, 2006

Scott Rush and Renae Lawrence, the only female member of the Bali Nine, were today sentenced in the Denpasar District Court to life imprisonment.

The Bali Nine were arrested in April 2005 in Bali, where they were accused of trying to smuggle 8.3 kg of heroin in to Australia.

The sentence issued to Lawrence is a surprise to both herself and the prosecution, as a 20-year sentence was all but promised for co-operation. Although under Indonesian law, Lawrence could have received the death penalty, judges felt a custodial sentence was in order because of her youth, cooperation and general politeness.