Two Australian men have been sentenced to 16 years in an Indonesian court for the murder of Melbourne resident Zivan Radmanovic in Bali last year.

The Incident Unfolds

Zivan Radmanovic, 32, was fatally shot on June 14 when two masked individuals, Mevlut Coskun and Paea I Middlemore Tupou, entered his villa during the night. Mr. Radmanovic was on the island to celebrate his wife Jazmyn Gourdeas's birthday. Ms. Gourdeas's sister, Daniella Gourdeas, and her partner Sanar Ghanim were also present at the property.

Court Verdict

Coskun and Tupou were found guilty by the Bali District Court of premeditated murder and firearm possession. The court proceedings revealed:

The defendants stated they were sent to the villa by an unnamed Australian man to threaten Mr. Ghanim over a debt.

Tupou told the court he mistook Mr. Radmanovic for Mr. Ghanim before shooting him. Mr. Ghanim sustained gunshots and beatings but survived the attack.

A third Australian, Darcy Jenson, is currently on trial for allegedly coordinating the attack's logistics.

Sentencing Rationale

Judges cited several factors influencing the 16-year sentence. The murder caused public concern on Bali, where firearm-related violent crimes are uncommon.

Mr. Radmanovic's role as a family breadwinner was considered. Furthermore, the victim's family had not offered forgiveness to Coskun and Tupou.

Prosecutors had sought an 18-year sentence, while Mr. Radmanovic's wife had requested the maximum penalty.

Premeditated murder in Indonesia can carry the death penalty.

Defendants' Statements

During the trial, Coskun testified that he was offered money and a Bali holiday to threaten Mr. Ghanim and felt "in too deep" after being instructed to collect the handguns.

Tupou stated he mistook Mr. Radmanovic for Mr. Ghanim, claiming he shot him after Mr. Radmanovic allegedly ran at him with something in his hands. A coroner's examination confirmed Mr. Radmanovic sustained three gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma.

Both Tupou and Coskun offered apologies to Mr. Radmanovic's family in court.