Courier’s mother in disbelief over pending executions

THE mother of Bali Nine drug courier Michael Czugaj is struggling to comprehend how two members of the group could be executed.

THE mother of Bali Nine drug courier Michael Czugaj is struggling to comprehend how two members of the tight-knit group she likens to a “family” could be executed.

Vicki Czugaj yesterday described the impending executions of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan as casting a pall of horror over Kerobokan jail, with inmates grappling with how to cope.

Czugaj, who is serving a life sentence but has lodged a judicial appeal for a set term of 15 years, is having trouble coming to terms with the ordeal. “If it does happen I don’t know how it’s going to affect him,’’ his mother said.

The two members of the Bali Nine drug ring who are on life sentences at Kerobokan jail, Matthew Norman, 26, and Si Yi Chen, 25, were also devastated, Mrs Czugaj said.

“Michael says ‘what do I say to them (Chan and Sukumaran). I can’t say anything to them’.”

The 29-year-old from Brisbane was sentenced for his part in conspiring to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin into Australia from Bali. “It’s very close to home, our kids have lived together for 10 years. They’re like a family. They share everything,” Mrs Czugaj said from her Maroochydore home.

Breaking down, Mrs Czugaj, 59, who has visited Kerobokan for the past decade, said: “I can’t believe they’re doing this. How hard must it be for those parents, those families to say goodbye to them forever? It’s hard enough saying goodbye to Michael after a visit.’’

Asked if there was a feeling Bali Nine members bore a grudge towards Sukumaran and Chan as the plot’s ringleaders, she said: “I don’t think so. Maybe it was initially like ‘hello, you got us into this’, but these guys had someone else (drug lords) cracking the whip over them as well.’’ Nobody deserved to be shot, said Mrs Czugaj. “They were kids when they did this.’’