Australian tourist, 43, and his Indonesian girlfriend are slapped with six-year jail sentences in Bali after being busted with 11 grams of cocaine
- Australian man has been sentenced to nearly six years in jail for drug posession
- Brendon Johnsson, 43, was busted with 11.6 grams of cocaine in his Bali home
- His girlfriend Remi Purwanto, 43, was charged and arrested with Johnsson
An Australian has been sentenced to nearly six years jail in Denpasar District Court in Bali after he was busted with 11.6 grams of cocaine.
Sunshine Coast man Brendon Johnsson, 43, was charged and arrested along with his Indonesian girlfriend Remi Purwanto, 43, with drug dealing in Bali, where he lived at the time, on August 4.
Johnsson and Purwanto were charged under Indonesian drug laws, which carry the death sentence for dealing more than five grams as the maximum penalty.
An alternative charge of drug possession carries five to 20 years in jail.
Sunshine Coast man Brendon Johnsson, 43, has been sentenced to nearly six years jail in Denpasar District Court in Bali after he was busted with 11.6 grams of cocaine
Gold Coast man Brendon Luke Johnsson, (left) and Indonesian Remi Purwanto, 43, (right) have been arrested in Bali on narcotics charges and could face the death penalty
His girlfriend Purwanto was also given the same sentence.
Thirteen plastic packets of cocaine, weighing 11.6 grams were uncovered by police in the pair's Kuta home.
The 43-year-old had bought the drugs valued at $3,636 or 39 million Rupiah (RP) at the time.
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Police raided a boarding house where a woman, Bena, was found with a packet of cocaine in her pocket, along with two packets in a sanitary pad package and one packet in a pillow.
Bena confessed she bought the drugs from Purwanto which led the police to raid Purwanto's boarding house in Kuta beach.
When handing down the court's verdict, presiding Judge I Ketut Kimiarsa said: 'The defendents Remi Purwanto and Brendon Luke Johnsson have been proven guilty of possessing drugs.
'Sentence the defendants to give five years and four months imprisonment, and RP 800 million fine or an additional two months imprisonment if they fail to pay it.'
Johnsson's lawyer Edward Pangkahila told the court his client had accepted the sentence and would not appeal, News Corp Australia Network reported.
He was supported at court by his stepfather Ashley Robinson and lawyer John McLeod of Tora Solutions, who is best known for his role in assisting Schapelle Corby's release from jail after she was deported from Bali.
The 43-year-old had bought the drugs valued at $3,636 or 39 million Rupiah (RP) at the time
Johnsson and Purwanto were pictured in orange suits and balaclavas in August after Indonesian authorities arrested them for allegedly possessing cocaine valued at $3,636
Johnsson has freed himself from drug addiction and is now looking to teach a concrete rendering course in Kerobokan prison to teach local prisoners the skill.
He thanked his supporters as he walked from court last night following the sentencing.
'First of all, I would like to thank my family, John McLeod and my lawyers for everything,' he said.
Mr Robinson has urged other Australians to take note of the consequences of Johnsson's actions, which have no led him to serve time in jail.
'I hope it is a lesson to other people … I hope people have a long hard look at what has happened to Brenden,' he said.
While Mr Robinson said it was heartbreaking to see loved ones go to jail, he said Johnsson's imprisonment had a 'silver lining' because he is now drug free for the first time in more than 27 years, since he was 16.
'May my pain also be a good lesson and a loud and clear warning to others with addictions,' Mr Johnsson said.
Mr Robinson said Johnsson's imprisonment is a 'silver lining' because he is now drug free for the first time in more than 27 years, since he was 16
