A probe into bribe claims at the sentencing of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran has started taking evidence, two weeks after the central witnesses were executed.

On the eve of the Australian pair’s executions, their lawyer from their 2005 trial, Muhammad Rifan, alleged judges who sentenced the men to death asked for more than $130,000 for a lighter sentence.

The Bali Nine pair’s current lawyer, Todung Mulya Lubis, had already referred the matter to the judicial commission when Mr Rifan first aired it in February.

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Mr Lubis and his colleagues attended the commission in Jakarta on Monday to hand over what information they have, including newspaper clippings and recordings of conversations he had with Mr Rifan.

Mr Rifan is now expected to appear before the commission next week.

Mr Lubis’ colleague Leonard Arpan said before they left Bali’s Kerobokan jail, Sukumaran and Chan had relayed to them information about the “pressure” from judges at the trial.

He wasn’t sure if the men had directly met the judges who were asking for payment, but believed the requests had gone through Mr Rifan and other lawyers.

“It would be better if Andrew and Myuran, while they were still alive, had been questioned by the judicial commission,” he said.

“But the judicial commission tell us they are committed to following up the remaining people, including Mr Rifan.”

The lawyers encouraged Mr Rifan to tell-all to the commission when he is summonsed.

The ethics body can summons a witness three times before asking police to escort them if necessary, however this step has never been taken.

Mr Rifan first made claims of “interference” in February, but waited until two weeks ago to explain the sum was asked in exchange for a sentence of less than 20 years.
The offer was taken off the table, he said, on orders from Jakarta to impose the death penalty.

– AAP