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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Staff and agencies

Chan and Sukumaran families arrive in Sydney before funerals of Bali Nine pair

Myuran Sukumaran’s mother, Raji, and brother Chinthu are escorted to an awaiting car after arriving with other family members at the international airport in Sydney on Saturday.
Myuran Sukumaran’s mother, Raji, and brother Chinthu are escorted to an awaiting car after arriving with other family members at the international airport in Sydney on Saturday. Photograph: Paul Miller/EPA

Andrew Chan’s new wife has arrived in Sydney with Myuran Sukamaran’s family, before the funerals for the Bali Nine men.

Febyanti Herewila, known as Feby, touched down on Saturday morning, after her husband of two days was executed in Indonesia on Wednesday.

Less than a week after she wed Chan in his last hours on death row, Herewila has to face planning his funeral.

She was escorted by government officials through a private exit at Sydney airport, along with Sukumaran’s mother Raji, brother Chintu and sister Brintha.

Looking tired, with hands on their bowed heads, the families made no comment leaving the airport before getting into three white cars that had been waiting for them.

Chan, 31, and Sukumaran, 34, were shot by a firing squad with six other drug offenders at 12.25am (local time) on Wednesday, 10 years after their part in the Bali Nine heroin-smuggling plot.

A container believed to be carrying their bodies was escorted from the tarmac at Sydney airport about 6.30am on Saturday.

Chan’s brother Michael and mother Helen arrived back in Sydney on Friday.

The Australian newspaper is reporting Indonesian president Joko Widodo ignored the advice of the vice-president, Jusuf Kalla, and the former general and presidential candidate, Prabowo Subianto, in not stopping the executions. Kalla was concerned about possible damage to Indonesia’s reputation.

Despite media reports, former Bali Nine lawyer Muhammad Rifan has not been arrested.

“It’s not true what Sky News said,” he said.

“I’m OK. I’m in my home in Bali.

“When I’m scheduled for questioning, there will be a procedure for that.”

Mr Rifan represented Chan and Sukamaran when they were sentenced to death in 2006.

He claims judges asked for more than $130,000 for a lighter sentence.

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