Crime
New Zealander Leeza Tracey Ormsby To Remain in Bali Jail for Another Month
BALI – Leeza Tracey Ormsby a New Zealand woman caught up in a Bali drug raid in February will remain in jail for at least another month. Ormsby, 37, was arrested on February 12 following a drug raid at a villa in Bali she had been staying at.
Two weeks after the arrest her lawyer, Ari Soenardi, said she had admitted to owning a marijuana joint that was in her handbag, but had no knowledge of the MDMA and hashish found in the villa.
She had told police she was only visiting to pick up her towel and laptop, Soenardi said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said Ormsby remained detained in Bali as part of an ongoing police investigation.
“The period of Ormsby’s detention was extended on March 7, 2014, in line with Indonesian law, to April, 15 2014,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The ministry understands that the period of detention has been extended by a further 30 days to May, 15 2014, by means of an application which has been approved through the Bali Court.”
MFAT could not comment on the progress of the case but it was providing consular support and had visited Ormsby three times since her arrest.
Soenardi could not be reached for comment today.
At the time of the raid, Ormsby told police there had been a party at the villa, but that her five friends had already left Bali.
Sydney musician Azaria Byrne, came forward to say he was the one who booked the villa, and that he believed Ormsby, whom he only met once, was innocent.