Desperate times call for desperate measures.
The legal team for the New Zealand man accused of smuggling 1.7 kilograms of meth into Bali in his backpack has a novel defense approach: they are arguing Antony de Malmanche is a trafficked person, not a drug trafficker, according to New Zealand’s One News.
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This nuanced legal play is an attempt to save the 52-year-old’s life, who could face the firing squad if he is found guilty of drug trafficking under strict Indonesian law. This is especially a very real concern after six were executed over the weekend for drug trafficking violations.
De Malmanche, who was arrested by Indonesian police on December 1 for his alleged crime, is expected to start trial next month.
The kiwi has said he came to Bali from Hong Kong, because he intended to meet “Jessie,” the woman he had been dating online. However, he claims he was duped and he never actually met the woman.
Craig Tuck, a renowned human rights lawyer, who will be representing de Malmanche, will reportedly argue that his client “was not exploiting the Indonesian people but was himself exploited.”
The basis of Tuck’s argument is that the business model of international drug rings take advantage of vulnerable people like de Malmanche, who had spent more than three years in institutional care as a child. De Malmanche to this day suffers trauma from physical injuries and abuse, Tuck says, as quoted by One News.
Photo by AFP
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