A 69-year-old grandmother, Lindsay Sandiford, who was sentenced to death in 2013 for smuggling 1.6 million pounds of cocaine into Indonesia, has been released from the notorious Kerobokan jail in Bali after spending a decade behind bars. Sandiford, looking disheveled and wearing a face mask, left the prison in a wheelchair to begin her journey back to the UK, which spans 8,000 miles and includes a 20-hour flight with a brief layover.
The Mirror reported that Sandiford, whose release was secured by the UK Government, is set to take a seat on a UK-funded flight to London Heathrow. She is reportedly in poor health after enduring the harsh conditions of the Bali prison for 12 years. Sandiford expressed her eagerness to reunite with her family and access necessary medical treatment upon her return to the UK.
Sandiford, who claimed she was coerced by a UK-based drug syndicate, has been incarcerated in the overcrowded and unsanitary Kerobokan prison for 13 years. Following a plea from UK officials, a bilateral agreement was reached between Indonesia and the UK for Sandiford’s repatriation due to her deteriorating health condition.
Indonesia’s senior law and human rights minister confirmed Sandiford’s serious illness, stating that she will be transferred back to the UK along with another prisoner. The agreement for the prisoners’ transfer was signed in Jakarta, marking the end of Sandiford’s lengthy legal battle in Bali.
Sandiford’s arrest in 2013 stemmed from being caught with a substantial amount of cocaine in her luggage at Denpasar Airport. Despite her lack of prior convictions, she was sentenced to death after revealing that she was coerced by a criminal organization threatening her son’s safety in the UK. The FCDO spokesperson stated that they are actively working with Indonesian authorities to facilitate the return of the two British nationals.