The Bali Nine drug mule has been released. Photo / Twitter
The Bali Nine drug mule has been released. Photo / Twitter
Bali Nine drug mule Renae Lawrence has been released from Bangli prison after more than 13 years behind bars.
The 41-year-old, who was the only woman in the failed 2005 plot to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin into Australia, is the first to be released from prison.
Just after 6pm Balitime (8pm Sydney time) she was seen leaving the prison in the back of a police vehicle headed to Denpasar airport — the very place she was arrested, reports news.com.au.
She is expected to fly back to Australia on a flight on Wednesday evening.
Lawrence was clad all in black and wearing black wraparound shades as scores of media descended on the car.
News Corp journalist Cindy Wockner, who is at the prison, spoke to the jail doctor. He said Lawrence told him she was "sad and afraid" when she said goodbye to her friends on the inside. "But she is happy for sure."
A prison spokesman said on Wednesday evening that the final paperwork for her release had been signed.
She needed immigration forms to enable her to travel across the Indonesian island to the airport.
FREE. Renae Lawrence rushed out of Bangli Prison, more than 13 years after being jailed for her role in the Bali Nine drug scandal. She made no comment. Amazing pic by @a_mibali@smh@theagepic.twitter.com/7iYQQaZlMX
The immigration department said Lawrence must be immediately deported from Indonesia following the release. When she arrives at the airport she will be detained in a room while she awaits her flight departure in line with all those being deported, the official said.
She is expected to fly either to Brisbane or Sydney. There is a Virgin Australia flight and a flight from local airline Malindo Air from Bali to Brisbane on Wednesday evening and four to Sydney from Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar and Indonesian airline Garuda.
"This is the paperwork needed for Renae Lawrence to leave Indonesia immediately. This paper says she is now a free woman".
Lawrence was expected to be released from prison last night but it was changed to daylight hours. She is now unlikely to fly out until tonight as there are no commercial flights to Sydney until this evening.
When she returns home, she is expected to face a NSW court over an alleged high speed chase in a stolen car on the NSW Central Coast in March 2005.
Bali Nine member Renae Lawrence inside Bangli Jail. Photo / News Corp Australia
However, NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller suggested she was unlikely to be arrested as soon as she lands in Australia.
"I can confirm there's two outstanding arrest warrants for her and from our perspective we will make a time reasonable with her legal team to bring her in to have those warrants satisfied," he told reporters yesterday.
The two outstanding arrest warrants are for offences including stealing a motor vehicle, driving while unlicensed, speeding and failing to comply with police directions.
Lawrence had been due to face court over the pursuit, but she was arrested with the heroin strapped to her back and legs at Bali's airport, along with eight other Australians attempting to smuggle the drug.
Unlike her conspirators, Lawrence did not appeal her 20 year sentence. While they saw their prison time increased — or the death penalty imposed — she remained on her original sentence.
Convicted drug traffickers Schapelle Corby (right) and Renae Lawrence at Kerobokan Prison in Denpasar in 2008. Photo / Supplied
With gradual reductions for good behaviour, she managed to whittle away at the time she needed to stay behind bars.
Lawrence was originally incarcerated at the notorious Kerobokan prison in Bali's capital of Denpasar, with the other members of the group. But in 2014 she was moved away from the tough confines of Kerobokan to Bangli prison.
As she leaves jail, Lawrence will be able to take a few handicrafts she has made with her.
Mr Suwendra praised Lawrence for being co-operative and quiet during the years she spent in custody.
She had made friends among other prisoners and contributed to prison life.
