DENPASAR, DEWATA.NEWS – The Denpasar District Court has sentenced British national Kial Garth Robinson to 11 years in prison after finding him guilty of smuggling 1.3 kilograms of cocaine into Bali.
Presiding judge I Gusti Ayu Akhiryani delivered the verdict on Thursday (Feb 26, 2026), stating that the court found Robinson legally and convincingly guilty under Article 113 paragraph (2) of Law No. 35/2009 on Narcotics in conjunction with Article 609 of Law No. 1/2023 on the Criminal Code.
The sentence matches the prosecution’s demand submitted by the Bali High Prosecutor’s Office, which had previously sought an 11-year prison term.
In addition to imprisonment, the court imposed a fine of IDR 1 billion. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional 190 days of imprisonment.
In its considerations, the panel stated that Robinson’s actions did not support the government’s efforts to combat illegal narcotics trafficking. As mitigating factors, the court noted that the defendant behaved respectfully during trial and admitted his wrongdoing.
In a separate hearing, co-defendant Pieran Ezra Wilkinson was found guilty under Article 112 paragraph (2) of the Narcotics Law in conjunction with Article 609 of Law No. 1/2023.
Wilkinson was sentenced to eight years in prison and fined IDR 1 billion, with a subsidiary sentence of 190 days if unpaid. His sentence was lighter than the prosecutor’s earlier demand of 9.5 years. The court considered his role as the intended recipient of the narcotics, while Robinson acted as the courier.
Both defendants, accompanied by their legal counsel, stated they accepted the verdict.
Robinson was arrested on Sept 3, 2025, at approximately 8:30 p.m. WITA at the International Arrivals Terminal of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. During inspection, officers discovered cocaine concealed inside a black backpack he had brought from Barcelona, Spain.
According to court proceedings, Robinson traveled to Bali under instructions from an individual identified as Santos. Two clear plastic packages containing white powder were later weighed at the Bali Provincial National Narcotics Agency (BNNP) office, confirming a total weight of 1.3 kilograms.
Robinson was promised payment of USD 5,000 in cryptocurrency if he successfully delivered the cocaine to an individual identified as PEW in Bali. Santos had previously transferred USD 3,000 in cryptocurrency to cover travel and accommodation expenses.
The funds were used to purchase airline tickets from Barcelona to Bali and from Bali to Thailand. Robinson had planned to return to Thailand on Sept 8, 2025, and had rented a room at Villa Anginsepoi during his stay in Bali.