Drug trial bid fails

DENPASAR: An Indonesian court yesterday threw out a defence bid to have all charges dropped against Bali Nine defendant Scott Rush, clearing the way for prosecutors to start calling witnesses in his trial.

Rush, dressed in black pants and a white shirt with a wooden crucifix around his neck, sat impassively as chief judge I Made Sudia ruled that the charges of conspiring to export 8.3kg of heroin from Bali to Australia in April were valid.

His parents Lee and Christine watched from the front row of the public gallery of the Denpasar District Court.

The hearing was adjourned until next Thursday when the court will hear testimony from prosecution witnesses.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org/balinine.html
Pubdate: Fri, 11 November 2005
Source: Northern Territory News (Australia)
Website: http://www.ntnews.com.au
Email: ntnmail@ntn.newsltd.com.au