The Australian teenager allegedly caught with marijuana in Bali will face trial next week as Indonesian authorities fast-track his case and vow to make his court appearance as stress-free as possible.
A judge, Amser Simanjuntak, was appointed to handle the case after prosecutors formally registered the case with Denpasar district court yesterday.
''The trial will be closed, closed to public. Not just the media,'' he said. ''All juvenile trials are closed to the media. It's for the child's welfare. It's part of the child protection law.''
The 14-year-old, from Morisset Park, near Newcastle, has been in custody for more than three weeks and, according to his lawyers, was upset at being paraded in front of the media on Saturday wearing a balaclava and sunglasses.
On Tuesday he was forced to run the gauntlet of a large media pack on two occasions as he met prosecutors.
As well as outsiders being barred from the hearing, it will be heard by only one judge, rather than a panel. Those in the court will not don legal robes to cut the intimidation factor.
The boy is being held in an immigration facility.
Prosecutors have filed three drugs charges against the teen with the most serious carrying a maximum penalty of 12 years in prison, which can be halved for juveniles.
Judge, Amser Simanjuntak, said it would take at least three days to complete the necessary administration work.
"It's (the trial) certain next week," he said.
"But it will take minimum three days administration to summon the defendant."
Lawyers for the 14-year-old, who is accused of buying a small amount of marijuana, remain hopeful the court will show the teenager leniency due to his age and history of drug use, allowing him to avoid a custodial sentence.
The trial is likely to take a number of weeks, despite ongoing efforts by authorities to expedite the matter through the court.
"The first hearing would be (reading of the) indictment, then defence response followed by examination of the defendant," chief prosecutor I Gusti Gede Putu Atmaja said after filing the indictment.
"Hopefully all could be quick. After that, then sentence request and then sentencing."
Prosecutors, lawyers and even the judge will be without their robes and instead wear batik - traditional Indonesian attire - to make the court process less intimidating for the boy.
"We're going to wear batik to make it look not frightening to the child," Mr Atmaja said.
Mr Atmaja will lead the prosecution, but will be accompanied by a female colleague, Srigati, who has experience in children's cases.
It is likely the case will be presided over by one judge, instead of a panel of three as is usually the case in adult matters in Indonesia.
"Usually for minor cases, it's a single judge, but it's up to the head of District Court," Denpasar District Court clerk Gede Ketut Rantam said.
The teenager, from Morisset Park near Newcastle in NSW, has been in custody since his arrest on October 4 when he was allegedly caught with 3.6 grams of marijuana.
He is expected to remain at an immigration facility in Jimbaran, which is about an hour's drive from Denpasar, during the trial.
The Year 9 student was moved to the facility on Saturday following intervention from senior officials in Jakarta, including Indonesia's Minister for Law and Human Rights Amir Syamsuddin and National Police chief Timur Pradopo.
The intervention from the two senior officials, which meant the teenager was able to avoid a stint in the notorious Kerobokan prison, was welcomed by the Australian government.
-Sydney Morning Herald and AAP
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Originally Posted by BrisbaneGuy
