Bali Nine member Martin Stephens’ Australia claim resurfaces

A big admission from a member of the Bali Nine drug smuggler group has resurfaced amid an operation to bring the remaining five prisoners back to Australia.

An Australian convicted drug smuggler who has been locked up in Indonesia for almost two decades has made a surprising admission.

Martin Stephens is a member of the notorious Bali Nine, a drug trafficking group that tried to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin out of Indonesia back in 2005.

He was sentenced to life in prison in February 2006 when he was just 30 years old.

Now, after almost two decades of being imprisoned overseas, he and the other remaining members have returned home.

The five men landed in Australia on Sunday, following negotiations to bring them back into the country.

Prior to confirmation that the group were officially on a flight from Indonesia, surprising claims made by Stephens resurfaced, suggesting he may not be as keen to get back to Australia as some may expect.

Martin Stephens in Denpasar court after being sentanced to life in prison. Picture: Getty Images

Si Yi Chen, 39, Michael Czugaj, 38, Matthew Norman, 38, Scott Rush, 39, and Martin Stephens, 48 touched down in Australia on Sunday on commercial flights and will not face future imprisonment in Australia.

The arrangement has not been described as a clemency deal, and Australia does not have a prisoner transfer agreement with Indonesia.

Anthony Albanese confirmed the transfer in a statement shared on Sunday.

“The five men committed serious offences, serving over 19 years in prison in Indonesia,” he said.

“We would like to convey our deep appreciation to the Government of Indonesia for its co-operation to facilitate the men’s return to Australia on humanitarian grounds.

“This reflects the strong bilateral relationship and mutual respect between Indonesia and Australia. The Australian Government has consistently advocated for the men and provided consular support to them and their families.

“The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration in Australia.”

The five remaining Bali Nine prisoners: Scott Rush, Matthew Norman, Si-Yi Chen, Martin Stephens, and Michael Czugaj. Picture: Supplied

The two ‘ringleaders’ of the group, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, were executed via firing squad in April 2015

Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen passed away aged 34 in a Jakarta Hospital back in May 2018 after a battle with stomach cancer.

The only female member of the group, Renae Lawrence, now 47, was released from prison and deported back to Australia in November 2018.

Life in prison

Stephens, from Wollongong, New South Wales, was arrested at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport back in April 2005.

He had 3.3kg of heroin taped to his chest and concealed under his clothing.

In February 2006, he was sentenced to life in prison.

Martin Stephen during his search at Ngurah Rai Airport with heroin found taped to his body. Picture: Supplied

Martin Stephens and Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen were in the same prison. Picture: Supplied

Resigned to a life behind bars, Stephens made a life for himself in Indonesia.

In 2009, he announced plans to marry Christine Winarni Puspayanti, an Indonesian woman he met while he was locked up in Bali’s notorious Kerobokan Prison.

The pair met months after his arrest while she was visiting the prison as part of her church group. They wed in a traditional Indonesian wedding ceremony in April 2011.

The jail’s governor at the time, Pak Siswanto, even granted a post-wedding celebration and a conjugal visit on the same night in a specially prepared room.

Martin Stephens had a traditional wedding with his wife. Picture: Supplied

More freedom

In 2014, Stephens was transferred to Lowokwaru jail in Malang, East Java, where he has remained ever since.

But now, at the prospect of being imprisoned back home in an Australian jail, Stephens has said he would likely reject a prisoner exchange, according to a resurfaced interview.

“I’m much freer here than I would be in an Australian jail,” he previously told Indonesia Expatback in 2020.

“Though logically it would be better for my parents.

“I teach English and play the seruling (traditional bamboo flute) but I haven’t learned Indonesian.

“I want to keep my Australian identity and avoid getting involved in faction fighting.”

The Bali Nine members: Myuran Sukumaran, Andrew Chan.. Martin Stephens, Chen Si Yi, Tach Duc Thanh Nguyen, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Michael Czugaj and Renae Lawrence. Picture: Supplied

While there were rumours that Stephens, along with now deceased Bali Nine member Tan Nguyen, were transferred to the remote Javan town of Malang – which is nine hours from Bali – due to behavioural issues, he insisted it was to be closer to his wife and to separate himself from other members of the Bali Nine.

“I asked to be moved to be closer to my wife and apart from the others,” he told the outlet.

“I don’t want to know them. I wasn’t in their syndicate which made earlier drug runs.

“I’ve always been known as the Bali Nine “black sheep”.’

Police photo of Martin Stephens in 2005. Picture: Supplied

Martin Stephens during his trial in Bali in February 2006. Picture: Lukman S.Bintoro

Asked what he would do if they were released on Australian soil instead of being reimprisoned, Stephen said he would dedicate his life to helping others and becoming a better person.

“My wife and stepdaughter are struggling. My parents in Australia are doing it hard because of me,” he said.

“I want to care for them. Why should they keep paying for my first fault? What’s served by keeping me behind bars?

“I want to be a good citizen and contribute.”