Lindsay Sandiford, known as a drugs mule grandmother, is set to fly back home today with a £600 plane ticket after being spared from the firing squad. The 69-year-old pensioner, who was sentenced to death in 2013 for smuggling £1.6 million worth of cocaine into Indonesia, will depart Bali this afternoon on a UK-funded flight bound for London Heathrow Airport. This marks the end of a distressing chapter in Sandiford’s life, where she has spent 13 years in Bali’s Kerobokan prison awaiting execution. Sources indicate that she is in poor health and eager to reunite with her family in the UK.
Sandiford, along with another UK national, Shahab Shahabadi, will leave Kerobokan jail and be transferred to Denpasar International Airport to be handed over to the UK Ambassador Dominic Jermey. After a brief media appearance, they will board their flight accompanied by British officials. Sandiford, who initially claimed she was coerced by a drug syndicate, has faced harsh conditions in prison, including overcrowding and unsanitary living conditions.
Following a bilateral agreement between Indonesia and the UK Government, Sandiford’s release was secured due to her deteriorating health condition. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper personally appealed to Indonesian authorities for her return. The Foreign Office has been actively involved in securing her release for over 18 months, with regular visits to the prison. Sandiford’s well-being has been a significant concern, and upon her return to the UK, she will undergo medical checks before reuniting with her family.
Sandiford’s ordeal began in 2012 when she was arrested in Bali for smuggling cocaine after being threatened by a criminal gang. Despite changing her story, she was found guilty and faced the death penalty. While incarcerated in Kerobokan prison, she faced challenges such as developing arthritis and living in cramped conditions. Sandiford’s release comes as Indonesia has relaxed its stance on drug trafficking, with no executions carried out since 2016. Throughout her time in prison, she was known as “Grandmother” and taught others to knit, though opinions on her varied from enjoying privileges to being described as difficult.
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