Eyewitness – Denpasar
The Denpasar District Court has handed down prison sentences of 12 and 16 years to three men involved in the high-profile murder of an Australian national in Bali.
The sentencing trial regarding the July 2025 killing of Zivan Radmanovic and the wounding of Sanar Ghanim reached its conclusion today. Presiding Judge Wayan Suarta, SH, convened the session at 11:00 WITA in the Cakra Utama courtroom at the Denpasar District Court on Jalan Sudirman. The proceedings had been delayed from last week as the judicial panel finalized the verdicts for the three defendants: Francesco Darcy Jenson, Tupou Middlemore, and Mevlut Coskun.
The atmosphere in the courtroom was tense. The defendants appeared visibly shaken, watched closely by the victim’s family, including Radmanovic’s widow, Jazmyn Goudes, her mother, son, and brother.
On Monday, February 23, the prosecution team, led by I Gusti Ngurah Wirayoga, SH, had sought 17 years for Jenson and 18 years each for Middlemore and Coskun. However, Judge Suarta delivered lighter sentences than requested.
Jenson was sentenced to 12 years after being found guilty of premeditation, conspiracy, involvement in a homicide, and attempting to destroy evidence within Indonesian jurisdiction. Meanwhile, Coskun and Middlemore were both sentenced to 16 years in prison.
In his ruling, the judge cited several proven criminal elements, including:
• The conscious intent to take a human life.
• Premeditated murder and conspiracy.
• Attempting to destroy evidence and possession of illegal firearms/ammunition.
• Failure to report a crime to authorities.
Furthermore, the judge noted that the defendants’ actions had tarnished Bali’s reputation as a safe global tourist destination and incited public fear.
The three convicts exited the courtroom in silence, refusing to comment to the press.
The verdict was met with grief and indignation by the victim’s family. Jazmyn Goudes was seen weeping and shaking her head in disbelief at what she perceived as a lenient sentence. Her mother expressed her outrage openly, labeling the proceedings a “joke” and stating the outcome was unacceptable for the families of Radmanovic and Ghanim.
Sary Latief, the legal counsel for the victims’ family, shared this disappointment. “Given the legal facts presented over the past month—including premeditation, the loss of life, and the attempt to cover up the crime—the sentences should have been much heavier,” she stated. “We will consult with the family to determine our next legal steps following today’s ruling.”
Reporter Daniel Herry
The suspect should have been sentenced to a much longer time. Especially when they killed the wrong and innocent person. Their poor family…