Angelita Pires: on trial for being a “girlfriend”!

It’s not getting much attention in Indonesia, but the trial of a not-unattractive Australian woman named Angelita Pires for her alleged involvement in the attempted murders of East Timorese President Jose Ramos Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao is totally bizarre to say the least.

The murder attempts took place on February 11 last year when:

the rebels came down to Dili and broke into two groups.

One, led by Alfredo Reinado, allegedly went to the President's compound where Reinado was shot dead and the President badly wounded by one of the rebels.

The other group, led by Reinado's second-in-command, Gastao Salsinha, positioned themselves outside the Prime Minister's house and ambushed his motorcade.

But why is Angelita being tried in the attempted murders?

Well, not for actually being directly involved in the attacks, but – wait for it – being the girlfriend of Alfredo Reinado, the leader of around 600 rogue soldiers who opposed the East Timor regime!

Ms Pires is accused of being an "indirect author" of events, having encouraged Reinado, with whom she was having a relationship, to go to Dili to attack the President and Prime Minister.

But Angelita maintains she is innocent (but not in that sense of course with Reinado), and even attended her trial at the Dili District Court barefoot – a highly combative gesture in Timorese culture.

Given that she faces an extremely lengthy jail sentence if found guilty, it is surprising that her case is not generating nearly as much interest as the Schapelle Corby case did a few year’s back. Not that Angelita isn’t any less attractive than Corby for a start and, more to the point, actually has a far better case for proclaiming innocence than the busty surfer who claimed she knew nothing about the 4kg of dope somehow packed (badly) into her surfboard.

So why the lack of interest?

Well, could it be she’s not a blond?!!!!

NB: while checking on the latest news, it seems that poor old Corby really has lost the plot and now thinks that her pet frog is now talking to her she can walk out of Kerobokan prison any time.

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