B

ali Police chief Insp. Gen. Teuku Ashikin Husein announced Monday the seven suspects implicated in the murder of journalist A.A. Narendra Prabangsa.

Prabangsa was found dead floating in the waters of southern Bali more than three months ago.

"After a thorough investigation, especially of news coverage of the event, we consider the murder was planned," Ashikin told a press conference, adding the motive of the murder was related to Prabangsa's article pointing out possible irregularities of a construction project involving the Bangli Education Agency.

"I Nyoman Susrama, or SR, project supervisor at the Bangli Education Agency, is the suspected mastermind *of the murder*," he added. Susrama is the younger brother of Bangli Regent Nengah Arnawa, also a recently elected legislative member.

The crime scene was located at Susrama's unfinished house in Petak hamlet, Bebalang, in Bangli regency.

The six other suspects include I Nyoman Rencana (RC) and I Komang Gede Wardana, also known as Mangde (MG), suspected of murdering the journalist; Koman Gede (KG), suspected of picking up the victim prior to the murder, Dewa Sumbawa (DS), Susrama's driver, and SITA water company employees Endy (ED) and Jampes (JP) who lived at the house where the murder allegedly took place.

Prabangsa was a regional desk editor at the local newspaper Radar Bali part of the Jawa Pos Group. Commenting on the progress, Radar Bali chief editor I Made Rai Warsa said the real battle of the case would be staged during the trial.

"I hope for a fair and clean trial. Therefore, I'm expecting the trial will be held at the Denpasar District Court as a neutral place, to avoid possible *manipulation'," he said.

Prabangsa's widow, AA Putu Mas Prihantini, expressed forgiveness over her husband's murder.

"I accept wholeheartedly my husband's passing, and have forgiven the misdeeds of those perpetrators," she said.

"However, I'm so grateful and thankful to the police for making such progress."

Ashikin said police would use Article 338 of the Criminal Code on murder, and Article 340 on planned murder for the case. The maximum penalty of Article 340 is life imprisonment.

Prabangsa was picked up at 3:08 p.m. by KG, RC and MG in Taman Bali and directly taken to the crime scene in Petak in a green sedan. They arrived at 3:30 p.m.

When Susrama and his driver Sumbawa arrived at 4:10 p.m., they saw Komang Gede standing to the right side of the sedan, followed by the victim. Mangde stood to the left side of the sedan followed by Rencana, said Ashikin.

Susrama and Rencana escorted Prabangsa, whose arms were tied behind his back, to the site of his murder - an unfinished and unroofed area at the back of the house.

Ordering Rencana and Mangde to kill Prabangsa, Susrama observed the violence from 4 meters away.

Rencana smashed a wooden block several times on Prabangsa's forehead. Mangde continued the torture by striking the victim repeatedly until he passed out.

The wooden block was then burnt to ashes.

"The chronology of the crime matches the autopsy result. No cuts or stabbing wounds were found on the body," Ashikin said.

Prabangsa was carried by Mangde and Rencana to an eastern room in the main house. Susrama ordered Endy and Jampes to clean up Prabangsa's blood stains by hosing the area and covering to with dirt.

Around 9:30 p.m., Mangde and Rencana transported the victim in a green metallic Kijang Rover van to Padang Baai beach to throw Prabangsa, believed to be still alive, out to sea.

Taking Prabangsa's professional work as the motive for his murder, Ashikin said his team would continue to investigate the Bangli Education Agency.