Australian Nationals Sentenced in Bali for Fatal Shooting Incident
On Monday, a court in Bali, Indonesia, handed down sentences to three Australians implicated in the fatal shooting of a fellow countryman last June. The three men, Mevlut Coskun, Paea I Middlemore Tupou, and Darcy Jenson, were involved in the death of Zivan Radmanovic, 32, from Melbourne. Another Australian, Sanar Ghanim, aged 34, survived the shooting and subsequent assault.
Coskun, 22, and Tupou, 27, received 16-year prison sentences, while Jenson, 24, was sentenced to 12 years. The two older men claimed that the shooting was unintentional, occurring amidst the tumult of the night.
Radmanovic had been in Bali to celebrate his wife’s birthday, accompanied by her sister and Ghanim, the sister’s partner. A coroner’s report revealed that Radmanovic suffered from three gunshot wounds and blunt force injuries.
The prosecution alleged that Jenson orchestrated the attack, with Coskun and Tupou executing it. Jenson was apprehended at Jakarta’s Soekarno Hatta airport in June while trying to flee the country. With Interpol’s assistance, Coskun and Tupou were located and arrested in Singapore and Cambodia respectively.
During the trial, which commenced in October, the defendants claimed they were financially incentivized by an unidentified Australian to intimidate Ghanim into settling a debt. Fear for their families’ safety led them to withhold the man’s identity.
Investigators mentioned a “Mr. X” who purportedly directed the trio’s actions, though his identity remains unknown. The court accepted the defense that they acted on the promise of payment.
The prosecution had initially sought 18-year sentences for Coskun and Tupou, and 17 years for Jenson. The three-judge panel noted the severe impact on the victims’ families, but also acknowledged the defendants’ youth, lack of prior criminal history, and cooperative behavior during proceedings.
Presiding Judge Wayan Suarta remarked that the sentencing was intended not for revenge or humiliation, but as a deterrent to prevent future such occurrences. He emphasized, “They are still young and have the chance to improve themselves in the future.”
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Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.
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