New evidence in Bali case

Lawyers appealing against the presidential decree that denied Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan clemency have presented evidence in court.

Lawyers appealing against the presidential decree that denied Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan clemency have presented evidence in court.

Lawyer Leonard Arpan said the evidence handed to the state administrative court yesterday concerned laws on the President’s prerogative rights.

They will return to court on Monday with an expert witness.

Rusdihadi Teguh, lawyer for the state, said outside court his team would object if the witness tried to give evidence apart from that related to the dismissal of the challenge.

The administrative court last month rejected the challenge of the decree denying clemency, on jurisdictional grounds.

The ruling sent Chan and ­Sukumaran a step closer to the firing squad for their 2005 heroin smuggling bid but no date has been set for their executions.

Last week the court laid out a timetable for the appeal, asking that it wrap up on April 1 for a ­decision soon afterwards.

If they are given the chance, lawyers for Chan and Sukumaran will argue President Joko Widodo didn’t properly assess their clemency case — including their well-documented rehabilitation — before issuing a rejection to the Australians as drug offenders.

AAP