British officials were left stunned when Indonesia reportedly suggested a prisoner swap linking the UK’s most notorious serial rapist to a long-serving British inmate.
The plan would have seen Reynhard Sinaga, convicted of raping scores of men in Manchester, returned to the UK in exchange for Lindsay Sandiford, 69, who had been on death row in Bali for over a decade.
The UK immediately rejected the idea, insisting that Sandiford’s release was unconditional and would not be used as leverage for another criminal’s repatriation.
Sandiford’s Release Delayed by Months
Sandiford, a former drugs mule sentenced to death in 2012 for smuggling £1.6 million of cocaine, was just days away from freedom when Indonesian authorities suddenly raised the swap proposal.
What should have been a straightforward repatriation turned into an agonizing eight-month delay.
“I’d given all my things away to fellow prisoners, and they even told me the flight I’d be on,” Sandiford recalled.
“Then, when they went to sign the documents for me to come home, the Indonesians said, ‘No, no, we don’t want to just let her go home.
We want a prisoner swap.’ It was torture.”
Despite the delay, Sandiford understood why Britain could not entertain the idea.
“Sinaga is never going to get out. People in Britain would be horrified if they let him go,” she said.
Who Is Reynhard Sinaga
Reynhard Sinaga, 42, was sentenced to a minimum of 40 years in prison for 159 sexual offences, including 136 rapes of young men between 2015 and 2017.
The PhD student, funded by his wealthy parents, preyed on men leaving Manchester clubs, luring them to his flat where he drugged and assaulted them, recording the attacks on his phone.
He was finally caught when an 18-year-old rugby player fought back after being drugged.
Investigators discovered videos documenting the shocking scale of his crimes, targeting mostly heterosexual men who only realized they were victims once authorities contacted them.
The Prisoner Swap Proposal
The Indonesian demand reportedly came in March, as British officials prepared to repatriate Sandiford under an amnesty for vulnerable foreign prisoners.
Indonesian ministers, including Yusril Ihza Mahendra, had expressed a desire to see Sinaga returned to Indonesia but never publicly linked it to Sandiford.
The news of the proposed swap left British diplomats “gobsmacked,” according to Sandiford.
Despite her own long imprisonment and health struggles—including diabetes, high blood pressure, and difficulty walking after years in cramped cells—she remained resolute in supporting the UK’s stance.
Sandiford’s Cooperation with Authorities
After her arrest, Sandiford cooperated with police and participated in a sting operation that led to the arrest of three other Britons suspected of being higher up in the drug syndicate.
While Julian Ponder, Paul Beales, and Rachel Dougall were jailed for between one and six years, Sandiford was given the death penalty, even though prosecutors had originally requested just 15 years.
Her release finally came last weekend, allowing her to reunite with her son and grandchildren at a London hotel, with accommodation provided by a prisoner support charity.
Britain’s Unwavering Position
The UK government’s firm refusal to entertain a swap underscores its position that justice for horrendous crimes like Sinaga’s cannot be bargained for.
While Indonesia has indicated interest in repatriating Sinaga, Britain has made it clear that any proposal linking him to Sandiford’s freedom is unacceptable.
Sandiford’s story highlights the often delicate and tense negotiations that take place when dealing with international prisoners, particularly when high-profile cases collide.
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