Bribes claim threaten Corby's trial

Reporter: Tim Palmer

MARK COLVIN: The team defending the accused drug smuggler, Schapelle Corby in Bali, has been forced
to back away from allegations by her financial backer, Ron Bakir, that Indonesian prosecutors had
acted improperly.

The Chief Prosecutor in the case has described as "a lie and a smear", allegations that he
authorized "disgraceful approaches" to the defence team, in which prosecutors sought something from
them.

Our Indonesia Correspondent Tim Palmer reports that Schapelle Corby's team has virtually disowned
Mr Bakir over the remarks.

(sound of panic, woman calling "stand back. Let some air get there")

TIM PALMER: Schapelle Corby's dramatic court-room collapse yesterday stole attention away from some
remarkable allegations made by her most outspoken backer, Queensland mobile phone businessman, Ron
Bakir.

Answering what appeared to be a pre-determined series of questions asked by Sydney radio
broadcaster, Alan Jones, Mr Bakir alleged that prosecutors in the Corby case had made improper
approaches, seeking something from Schapelle Corby's defence lawyers.

ALAN JONES: Has there been any move in the prosecution to approach the defence team about how the
defence team's concerns might be met?

RON BAKIR: Yes, look it's been addressed two or three times now.

ALAN JONES: The prosecution team have approached the defence team?

RON BAKIR: Absolutely.

ALAN JONES: Are the prosecution saying things to the defence like, well, if you want this result
you might have to do something to get it?

RON BAKIR: I'll say yes to that Alan, I'll say yes to that.

To be honest with you, it's an absolute disgrace, but anyhow that's the way it works.

ALAN JONES: Just to be specific about this, the head of the prosecution team is this Wiswantanu. Mr
Wiswantanu, is he the person that has made approaches to the defence team or someone acting on his
behalf?

RON BAKIR: Someone acting on his behalf.

ALAN JONES: Perhaps we shouldn't say anymore here.

My listeners can work out for themselves what's behind all of this.

TIM PALMER: Certainly there was little doubt what Alan Jones' listeners were meant to conclude from
that rather coy exchange, which nonetheless quite clearly alleged absolutely disgraceful behaviour
by the prosecutors.

But hours later, Ron Bakir in Bali, was backing away from what seemed to be the point of his
comments, telling journalists he hadn't been intimating that bribes had been requested by the
prosecutors. Although, he wouldn't say what he had meant.

Regardless, the allegations now threaten to completely poison relations between the defence and
prosecutors.

Chief Prosecutor, Ida Bagus Wiswantanu was upset when confronted with Bakir's allegations, telling
the ABC that the claims were regrettable and an attempt to blacken his integrity.

He said the allegations that the parties had met and that the prosecution had attempted to get
something from the defence team, were in his words "an absolute lie".

The allegations are hardly likely to improve the attitude of the Indonesian Attorney General's
Department to Schapelle Corby's legal team, or to aid the reception to any special pleading made by
her lawyer's behind the scenes, and on their behalf by Australia's Government, right up to the
level of Justice Minister, Chris Ellison.

Schapelle Corby's legal team, aware of the extent and sensitivity of those negotiations, and of the
potential for Mr Bakir's comments to destroy any goodwill between the sides, were putting as much
distance between themselves and the allegations as possible today.

Spokesman for the defence team, businessman Vasu Rasiah.

VASU RASIAH: That's not true at all, no. There's no substance to that information.

How can he say that? He's in Australia. Did they meet them in Australia somewhere because in
Indonesia, nothing happened like that.

There is no truth to that story. The only place we meet is in the court, we don't meet anywhere
else.

MARK COLVIN: Businessman, Vasu Rasiah speaking for Schapelle Corby's legal team, to Tim Palmer.