Corby to hold exclusive interview

DENPASAR. Schapelle Leigh Corby, the convicted Australian drug smuggler, has reportedly arranged an exclusive interview with Channel 7 of Australia.

Australian media are reporting that the television station is paying Corby around A$2 million (US$1.8 million) to A$3 million for the interview. Australian star journalist Mike Willesee told reporters Tuesday that the interview had been arranged, however, he denied the payment was in the range of A$2 to A$3 million.

Willesee often reports on Sunday Night for Channel 7 and will interview Corby exclusively at Sentosa Seminyak, a luxury villa in Petitenget where Corby has been staying since her release Monday.

Willesee was seen in the Corby family convoy leaving the Denpasar Correctional Board on Monday for Sentosa Seminyak.

“We’re in a different villa so we don’t have any physical communication, but I understand she’s very well and relaxed. I haven’t communicated with her; I haven’t talked to her either. I haven’t seen her at all,” Willesee said to reporters in front of Sentosa Seminyak on Tuesday morning when he stepped out for breakfast.

Willesee said that the interview had yet to be scheduled. “I don’t know, I really don’t know. There are a few things up in the air,” Willesee said.

When asked about Corby’s payment of around A$2 to A$3 million, he said he didn’t know anything.

Willesee also denied that Channel 7 had paid Indonesian agencies to facilitate her parole.

Meanwhile, the head of Denpasar Correctional Board, which is required to supervise and mentor Corby during her parole, Ketut Artha, said that he was very disappointed with Corby’s decision to hold an exclusive interview without coordinating with the board.

“She or her guarantor should have coordinated with us, whatever they want to do,” Artha said.

Artha said that Corby was free to do anything during her parole provided she didn’t break the law and always coordinated with the board.

“However, if she makes comments that damage the image of any institution in Indonesia during the interview, we could consider revoking her parole.”

Corby was arrested at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar in October 2004 for smuggling 4.2 kilograms of marijuana into Indonesia. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

However, in addition to receiving various sentence reductions for good behavior from prison authorities, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2012 granted her a five-year sentence reduction.

On Monday morning, Corby was released. However, she will have to live in Bali under the supervision of the correctional board until the end of her sentence, plus an additional year after that. (Ni Komang Erviani)