A court on Indonesia's resort island of Bali has sentenced three Australian citizens to lengthy prison terms for the fatal shooting of a fellow Australian national, following a trial that revealed the attack was allegedly motivated by a promised payment from an unidentified man.
Sentences Handed Down in Denpasar District Court
Mevlut Coskun, aged 22, and Paea I Middlemore Tupou, aged 27, were each sentenced to 16 years imprisonment by the Denpasar District Court. Their co-defendant, 24-year-old Darcy Jenson, received a 12-year sentence for his involvement in the shooting death of 32-year-old Zivan Radmanovic from Melbourne.
Details of the Fatal Incident
The shooting occurred in June 2025 while Radmanovic was in Bali celebrating his wife Jazmyn Gourdeas's birthday, accompanied by her sister and her sister's partner, 34-year-old Sanar Ghanim. While Ghanim survived the attack after being shot and beaten, Radmanovic tragically died from three gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma, according to coroner findings.
During the trial that commenced in October, the three defendants claimed they had been offered money to travel to Bali and intimidate Ghanim into repaying a debt. They maintained the shooting was not intentional and occurred during nighttime chaos, though prosecutors argued Jenson organized the attack while Coskun and Tupou carried it out.
International Manhunt and Arrests
The investigation spanned multiple countries, with Jenson apprehended at Jakarta's Soekarno Hatta airport in June as he attempted to leave Indonesia. Coskun and Tupou were subsequently arrested in Singapore and Cambodia through coordinated efforts with Interpol, highlighting the international dimension of the case.
Throughout proceedings, the defendants refused to identify the Australian man who allegedly offered them payment, citing fears for their families' safety. Investigators testified about instructions received from a mysterious "Mr X" whose identity remains undetermined, though the court accepted the men acted for "a promised payment."
Judicial Considerations and Sentencing
While prosecutors had sought heavier sentences of 18 years for Coskun and Tupou and 17 years for Jenson, the three-judge panel delivered slightly reduced terms. Presiding judge Wayan Suarta acknowledged the defendants' lack of prior criminal records and their cooperation during investigation and trial, noting they caused "deep trauma" to the victims' families.
"They are still young and have the chance to improve themselves in the future," Judge Suarta stated, emphasizing that punishment "is not intended as revenge, nor to degrade their dignity, but as a preventive measure so similar acts do not occur again."
The case underscores the serious consequences facing Australians involved in violent crimes abroad, particularly in jurisdictions like Indonesia where such offenses carry substantial prison terms. The sentencing brings some closure to a tragic incident that has drawn attention to the vulnerabilities of tourists and expatriates in popular destinations.
