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Nyoman Susrama, one of the defendants in the high-profile murder of a local journalist, stood his first trial here Thursday and could face a life in prison if proven guilty in the case.

A team of prosecutors, led by Abraham Cholis, charged Susrama, the youngest son of Bangli Regent I Nengah Arnawa, with masterminding the premeditated murder of the Radar Bali daily newspaper's A.A. Gede Bagus Narendra Prabangsa, during their indictment at the Denpasar District Court, Bali.

Hundreds of spectators, including dozen of journalists wearing black armbands in memory of their colleague, were packed into the courtroom Thursday, while extra police officers were deployed.

Prosecutors allege Susrama had planned the Feb. 11, 2009, murder of Prabangsa in his backyard in Bangli.

Prabangsa's body was found five days later in the waters off Padangbai in Karagasem, in eastern Bali, by the skipper of the trawler Perdana Nusantara.

"The defendant planned and conducted a crime, murdering the victim with others," Cholis said.

Seven other suspects - Endy Mashuri, I Nyoman Wiradnyana, I Komang Gede, I Komang Gede Wardana, I Dew Mulya Antara, I.B. Made Adnyana Narbawa, I Wayan Suecita - are being tried separately at the Denpasar District Court.

Another suspect, Daryanto, has been charged with aiding and abetting and concealing evidence, but his trial was postponed because the prosecutor failed to show up.

Prabangsa's murder is believed to be linked to his reports on discrepancies in several government-funded projects carried out by Susrama, who worked as a building contractor for several government projects, including the construction of the Bangli Education Office. "Susrama was incensed at Prabangsa and so planned to kill him," Cholis charged.

Susrama was also headed a development committee for the construction of an international-standard kindergarten and elementary school, the first of its kind in Bangli.

Prosecutors allege Susrama, Wiradnyana, Wardana and Komang Gede hatched up the murder plan on Feb. 6, after Prabangsa had reportedly blackmailed Susrama with the series of news reports.

Susrama also scouted locations ideal for the murder, Cholis went on, before picking up Prabangsa at the journalist's parents' home in Bangli on Feb. 11 and taking him to his house, where the other defendants were waiting. Cholis said Prabangsa was then tied up and beaten to death, and his body thrown into the sea.

Police found bloodstains in Susrama's car that matched Prabangsa's.

The murder is being tried in Denpasar for security reasons, as Susrama, an elected councilor from Bangli, wields considerable influence in his home regency.