Andrew Chan

Andrew Chan (12 January 1984 – 29 April 2015) was an Australian man who was convicted and executed in Indonesia for drug trafficking as a member of the Bali Nine.

Andrew Chan was born on 12 January 1984 in Sydney, New South Wales, the youngest child of Ken and Helena Chan, both first-generation Cantonese-speaking immigrants from Mainland China.

Chan was one of four children, having an older brother and two older sisters.

Chan's mother Helena Chan had poor English language skills, and Chan did not speak Cantonese.

Chan's older brother Michael translated for him when required.

Chan grew up in Enfield in Sydney, and attended Homebush Boys High School.

Both he and Myuran Sukumaran attended the same school, but Sukumaran was four school years above Chan, and they did not meet until 2002, at a mutual friend's house.

Chan was employed at Eurest, a catering company, where he worked as a supervisor.

It was reported that Chan had a good reputation at his job and was known to be a punctual and reliable worker.

In an interview broadcast on SBS TV's Dateline following his sentencing and appeal, Chan stated:

"'I don't think I was really going anywhere in life. I don't think, you know, I was achieving too much, even though I had a stable job and all. Yes, I don't think I was really heading anywhere, to be honest, you know, I've used drugs myself I was a drug user. You know, I know what it feels like to – to be, you know, one of them junkies walking on the street I guess..... You don't think too much about – I didn't anyway. You know, most people think yeah, you would, but I didn't. It wasn't – more or less for me it was just quick pay day, that's it. Just think to yourself quick pay day, that's it – Nothing more, nothing less.'"

When Chan worked for Eurest, he met Renae Lawrence, Martin Stephens and Matthew Norman.

All four would later be convicted of drug trafficking as fellow members of the Bali Nine.

Media reports claim that in early October 2004, Chan invited Lawrence to the Enfield home of his parents to celebrate Lawrence's 27 th birthday; Chan was living with his parents at this time.

Here, Chan allegedly told Lawrence that she was to travel with him to Bali, without being told the detail behind the mission.

Lawrence claimed that Chan would cover all air flights and accommodation and that if she disobeyed him or disclosed the nature of their arrangement, he would "send (her) family to the farm".

Lawrence claimed that Chan said there would be a reward, should she follow his instructions.

It was also reported that she met Myuran Sukumaran around this time.

It was alleged that Chan flew to Bali on 16 October 2004, with Lawrence also arriving in Bali on the same date.

Lawrence claimed that Chan was in regular contact with her when she stayed in the Istana Rama Hotel in Kuta, and Chan in Kuta's Hard Rock complex.

Media reports stated that Lawrence alleged that on 22 October 2004, Sukumaran strapped packages to the body of both Lawrence and Chan, and with Chan's girlfriend, Grace, boarded a commercial flight to Australia, successfully clearing security, customs and immigration in both Indonesia and Australia.

Lawrence claimed that she and Chan were met at the airport, the packages removed, all of them taken to another house, and then Lawrence went home.

A few days later Lawrence claimed that Chan handed her an envelope with $10,000 cash.

Lawrence claimed that a similar trip was organised following Chan's orders, where she departed Australia on 5 December 2004.

Lawrence claimed that seven others were involved, including Chan, Matthew Norman, and Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen (going by the alias of David).

Lawrence claimed that she was again given cash to purchase air flights and accommodation for eight days, staying again at the Istana Rama in Kuta.

However, the second delivery was aborted when heroin suppliers failed to deliver "due to a financial matter or someone knowing about the plan the shipment was cancelled".

In 2005, Chan was arrested at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar.

According to court testimonies of convicted drug mules, Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were the co-ringleaders of the heroin smuggling operation from Indonesia to Australia.

According to Lawrence, again under Chan's instructions, Lawrence departed Australia on 6 April 2005.

The day before, Lawrence, Stephens and Si Yi Chen met with Sukumaran where police allege drug smuggling tools such as sealable plastic bags, medical tape, elastic waist bands and skin tight bike shorts were stuffed into the bags of Lawrence and Stephens.

Lawrence claims that she was given cash, whereas Stephens claims that his life was threatened.

According to media reports, police records show that during his stay in Bali, Chan was in daily contact with Lawrence, until 13 April, when Chan changed his mobile phone number.

On the same day, Chan instructed Lawrence and other members of the Bali Nine to change hotels.

The original planned departure date of 14 April from Bali was delayed as Chan suspected Australian and Indonesian police were aware of his plans.

Chan was arrested on 17 April 2005 as he was seated on an Australian Airlines flight waiting to depart Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, for Sydney.

After a criminal trial on 14 February 2006, Chan was sentenced to execution by firing squad by the Denpasar District Court.

After lodging an appeal against Chan's sentence, his appeal was dismissed by the Indonesian Supreme Court on 10 May 2011.

His plea for clemency was rejected by the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, on 22 January 2015.

The execution was carried out on 29 April 2015.