In the week since Bonnie Blue’s arrest in Bali, we’ve heard about a police raid, confiscated cameras, and 16 witnesses being questioned. People speculated that if Bonnie Blue was found guilty of making pornography, she could be jailed for up to 12 years and fined up to $540,000 (AUD) (£269,000).
After all this build-up, the court decided on Friday 12th December that Bonnie Blue‘s punishment would be a fine of… £8.98. Yes, really.
The judge ordered Bonnie Blue (real name Tia Billinger) to pay a fine of 200,000 rupiah. That’s approximately $20 AUD, or £8.98. If she does not pay this, she could go to prison for a year.
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According to ABC, the judge explained she was “proven lawfully and convincingly guilty of committing the criminal offence of using a motor vehicle not in accordance with its designated purpose”. Plenty of social media videos show people riding on the back of Bonnie’s new “Bang Bus”. This vehicle is technically a goods-transport vehicle. Using it to carry passengers instead of goods is in violation of Bali’s road rules.
Bonnie Blue told the court she owns this “Bang Bus”, but did not drive it. She said she didn’t know that having passengers on the back of the vehicle was against the road rules in Bali.
Pictures of a ‘Bang Bus’ vehicle Bonnie’s team planned to drive
(Images via @bonnieblue)
Bonnie Blue was initially arrested on suspicion of making pornographic content, which would have violated Indonesia’s Pornography Act. However, police didn’t find evidence that Bonnie or her team were making pornographic content in Bali. Witnesses denied the team was making pornographic videos, and said the content was “fun” content for social media with “playful, humorous scenes”. So, Bonnie Blue and her team have not been fined for breaching the Pornography Act.
She and her team still face deportation from the country on Friday evening for breaking immigration laws. Working or undertaking income-generating activity without a permit reportedly breaks the terms of her visa. She could be banned from visiting Bali for 10 years.
An immigration chief at Bali airport told AFP: “We will immediately take firm action, deport them, and submit them for blacklisting.”
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Featured images via @bonnieblue.
