6 days ago
Three Australians face death penalty for Bali villa murder; two arrested after fleeing to Singapore
BADUNG, June 27 — Three Australian men have been formally charged with premeditated murder in Bali, a crime that carries the death penalty in Indonesia, following a fatal shooting earlier this month that killed one Australian and seriously injured another.
The suspects — Tupou Pasa Midolmore, 37, Coskun Mevlut, 23, and Darcy Francesco Jenson, 37 — were presented to the media on Thursday, handcuffed and dressed in orange prison uniforms and balaclavas, according to a report published in the Jakarta Globe today.
'This was a carefully planned, organised attack — not a spontaneous act,' said Bali Police Chief Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya, describing the shooting as a professional operation carried out with clear intent.
The incident took place on June 14 at Villa Casa Santisya in Badung, where the trio allegedly arrived on two motorbikes, attacked the victims, and escaped in separate vehicles.
The suspects fled Bali through multiple provinces, eventually reaching Sidoarjo in East Java before taking a bus to Jakarta; police say they planned to flee the country via Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
Police officers escort Australian suspect Darcy Francesco Jenson to a press conference at Badung district police station in Badung, on June 26, 2025. — AFP pic
One suspect was arrested in Jakarta, while the other two were apprehended in Singapore with the help of local authorities.
The shooting claimed the life of Zivan Radmanovic, 32, and left 34-year-old Sanar Ghanim hospitalised with serious injuries, both of whom are Australian nationals.
According to police, Jenson masterminded the operation, securing accommodation, arranging transport, purchasing a hammer to break into the villa, and preparing travel documents for their escape.
Midolmore and Mevlut are alleged to have carried out the assault, with investigators saying the men posed as motorbike taxi riders by wearing ride-hailing service jackets to approach the villa without raising suspicion.
While the investigation has advanced, police have yet to determine the motive behind the attack and are continuing to gather evidence.
The trio face charges under Article 340 of Indonesia's Criminal Code for premeditated murder, and under the firearms law for illegal possession of firearms, both of which carry severe penalties.
'Our investigation is ongoing, and we do not rule out the possibility of additional suspects being involved,' said Daniel.
