Detained Perth grandmother’s family speak with foreign minister in bid for ‘love scam’ trial to speed up

The family of detained Perth grandmother Donna Nelson have spoken with Foreign Minister Penny Wong, in a bid to speed up the 58-year-old’s drug smuggling trial in Japan.

The meeting lasted about 30 minutes, with relatives saying Wong was empathetic and generous with her time.

On June 25, it was revealed Nelson’s trial was unexpectedly postponed and that she will remain in a Tokyo prison indefinitely. Her family had already boarded a plane to attend the trial when they found out the news.

It has now been 18 months since Nelson was first arrested, and could be at least another six months before she is allowed to argue her case.

Wong’s office released a statement on Monday after the meeting, stating her thoughts were with Nelson and her family as they awaited her trial in Tokyo.

She said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was providing consular assistance and was making representations to the Japanese Government about Nelson’s welfare and the legal proceedings.

After several previous hold-ups, it’s understood the prosecution submitted last-minute evidence.

Nelson’s legal team has raised issue with the prosecution’s last-minute strategy change and flagged concerns over the competency of the court-provided translator, whose job is to translate Nelson’s cross-examination.

Her family have said they are still trying to come to terms with the news of the trial delay.

“It’s deeply upsetting for us as her family, but we can’t even begin to imagine how devastating the news will be for our darling Mum,” they said in a statement on Tuesday.

Instead of taking the stand to plead her innocence, Nelson will remain in her Chiba Prison cell where she claims she is kept in isolation for 23 hours a day.

Nelson is not allowed to speak with family, friends or other prisoners, can shower only once every three days and is passing time by reading the Bible.

This masthead was escorted from Chiba Prison grounds while attempting to visit her in October 2023. Her visitor ban was partially lifted last week to allow visits from her three-year-old granddaughter who has entered the prison twice, chaperoned by lawyers.

The prominent Indigenous community leader has not spoken directly to her family since her arrest at Narita International Airport in January 2023 with methamphetamine allegedly hidden in a suitcase.

According to Nelson’s lawyers, one side of her suitcase was fitted with a false outer lining to create a hidden cavity in which around two kilograms of methamphetamine was found.

They will argue that the drugs were planted and Nelson was the victim of a Nigerian love scam.

A new trial date is yet to be scheduled, but Nelson’s lawyers have been advised it won’t begin before January 2025, marking two years since her arrest.