Ben Panangian faces a maximum 12 years in jail after police allege that he was caught with marijuana in a Bali street. A later search of his Kuta home also allegedly found more marijuana in his wardrobe.
This week the 32-year-old was among a group of drug suspects paraded by police in Denpasar, wearing orange suspect overalls and balaclavas on their heads. At the time his face was covered, he was not named and police gave only the initials BPS.
Several different police sources confirmed to News Corporation that the man arrested was Corby’s boyfriend.
One source said that shortly after the arrest, in Nusa Dua, that locals in the area who witnessed the bust told police the man was “Corby’s boyfriend”.
He was arrested under the name Bernard P Simanjuntak. This is his full name but he shortens the first name to Ben and his second name is Panangian. He is from the Indonesian province of Sumatra.
Some in the community have questioned the arrest and whether it may have been a set up, given Panangian’s profile since becoming the lover of Corby.
Set ups of drug arrests are not uncommon in Bali.
His arrest is not good news for Corby, who must, as part of her parole conditions, stay away from anything to do with drugs or crime.
In a letter signed on August 4, 2013, Corby pledged: not to commit any criminal acts; not to use or distribute any kind of narcotics; report monthly to the parole board; recieve guidance from the parole team; dress modestly and neatly when meeting the parole officers.
The pair met in Bali’s Kerobokan Jail when both were prisoners. At the time, Panangian was serving time on drugs charges. He was later transferred to Bangli jail and then released.
After his release he continued to visit Corby in jail and the pair was often seen cuddling and kissing in the visiting area. However in the months before Corby’s release on parole, in February this year, Panangian rarely visited the jail or Corby.
He did however regularly drop off food and water for her but wanted to stay away from the spotlight.
Then after her release the pair rekindled their relationship and have been photographed together on several occasions, most recently by News Corporation as Corby worked to refurbish her brother-in-law Wayan Widyartha’s surfwear shop in central Kuta.
News Corporation understands they also went on a diving trip together.
Panangian, who is known on the police records as Bernard P Simanjuntak, was arrested on August 20 in Nusa Dua.
It was about 6pm and Panangian had just arrived on his motorbike at an address in Nusa Dua.
Police were there conducting a raid on another man, known only as TMY, and when they approached Panangian, he allegedly threw two packages onto the street.
Denpasar police chief, Djoko Hari Utomo, said the packages were found to contain marijuana.
A police raid on his home later also allegedly found marijuana in a wardrobe.
The amounts involved are 0.64 grams and 8.21 grams of marijuana.
Panangian faces charges under Article 111 of Indonesia’s narcotic laws which carries a maximum 12-year sentence for drug possession, planting, storage or providing.
The other man, TMY, outside whose home Panangian was arrested, faces charges in relation to 5.31 grams of methamphetamine.
At the press conference this week in Denpasar police paraded six suspects however they relate to different drugs cases and were trumpeted as part of a drug operation. The drugs allegedly seized were displayed on the table in front of the suspects.
A top stand-up paddle boarder, Panangian had a business teaching but that business now appears closed. In 2013 he was hailed a hero after a Lion Air plane plunged off the runway at Bali airport and crashed into the sea, near where Panangian was surfing. He rushed to help save the passengers of the jet.
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