Family of Australian Murder Victim Considers Three Defendants' Sentences a Joke
The verdict hearing in the case of the shooting of an Australian foreign national at a villa in the Canggu area, Badung, was marked by tension and disappointment from the victim’s family members in the courtroom of Denpasar District Court on Monday, 9 March 2026.
The family’s disappointment peaked after the panel of judges, chaired by I Wayan Suarta, announced their verdict against the defendants.
In this case, two defendants, Tupou Pasa Midolmore and Coskunmevlut, were each sentenced to 16 years imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering Australian national Zivan Radman. A third defendant, Darcy Francesco Jenson, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment after being found guilty of abetting the murder.
These verdicts were lighter than the public prosecutor’s earlier demands, which sought 18 years imprisonment for Tupou and Coskunmevlut, and 17 years for Darcy.
After hearing the judges’ verdict, the courtroom atmosphere became heated. Several family members of the victim present in the courtroom visibly expressed their disappointment. Some were even heard cursing towards defendant Darcy Francesco Jenson and describing the verdict as a “joke”.
Shortly thereafter, the victim’s wife, children and several relatives immediately left the courtroom and departed from Denpasar District Court building out of frustration with the verdict.
The family’s legal counsel, Sari Latief, stated that the family was deeply shocked by the judges’ verdict. “After hearing that verdict, this is very disappointing. I really cannot say anything. There is no deterrent effect from this verdict,” Sari Latief said after the proceedings.
She believed the verdict had the potential to send a negative message regarding the handling of criminal cases in Bali. “Looking at what it means for Bali, we all know that recently there have been increasingly more cases of executions or murders happening in Bali. The decision just announced by the judge feels like belittling everything,” she said.
Sari also highlighted the defendants’ behaviour after the verdict was announced. “When the defendants walked back to their cells whilst laughing and smiling, that already showed a lot. They only received 16 years imprisonment, even lighter than the prosecutor’s demands,” she said.
According to her, the verdict did not seem to reflect the value of a life that had been lost. “This verdict seems to fail to consider how valuable a human life is. I no longer know what to say on behalf of the victim’s family,” she said.
Sari added that the victim’s family initially came to hear the entire verdict reading, including for defendant Darcy Francesco Jenson. However, after hearing the verdict against the two main defendants, the family felt they could already anticipate the direction of the verdict. “There is no point in coming to hear the verdict reading for Darcy. We could already see where this verdict was heading,” she said.
Sari also mentioned that the victim’s wife, Jazmyn, was deeply shocked by the trial outcome. “Jazmyn is deeply shocked. She is very disappointed and crying. It is not possible for her to face another hearing like this,” she said.
According to Sari, Jazmyn had even attended the hearing whilst unwell, hoping the judge would impose a heavier sentence than the prosecutor’s demands. “Yet she came here still unwell hoping that the judge would impose a heavier sentence than the prosecutor’s demands. But it turns out not to be, as we have heard today,” she said.
This case originated from a shooting incident at a villa in the Canggu area that resulted in Zivan Radman’s death. Additionally, another Australian foreign national, Sanar Ghanim, also suffered gunshot wounds but survived.