Nyoman Susrama, the prime suspect in the murder of journalist Anak Agung Bagus Narendra Prabangsa, claimed he never knew the victim.
He made the denial when testifying Thursday at the trial of another suspect in the murder, I Nyoman "Rencana" Wiradnyana, at the Denpasar District Court.
Susrama told the court he had never read Prabangsa's articles published in the Radar Bali daily detailing alleged corruption at the Bangli Education Office, which prosecutors say is what motivated his murder.
Susrama - an elected Bangli legislator and the young brother of the Bangli regent - has, along with Rencana and seven other suspects, have been charged with murdering Prabangsa following the journalist's coverage of irregularities in various projects at the education office.
Susrama was the project manager for the construction of a school in Bangli regency.
Prosecutors allege the nine suspects tortured Prabangsa before killing him and throwing his body into the sea.
The body was found floating in Klungkung Bay in February, after Prabangsa had been reported missing for several days.
"I know all the journalists working in Bangli regency," Susrama claimed.
"Prabangsa was not a Bangli-based reporter. He was in Denpasar."
He added he was not well acquainted with Rencana.
"He was in my campaign team for the recent regional legislative elections," he said.
Susrama ran on the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) ticket for the April legislative elections.
He also testified he had never asked Rencana to come to his house on the day of the murder, Feb. 11, backing up Rencana's previous testimony that the two had never met on that day.
Over at Susrama's own trial, in response to allegations of police brutality against the suspects, the Bali Police's Made Sutirtayasa testified he had never used violence when questioning suspects or witnesses.
In previous hearings, several witnesses said they had been forced by the police to give false testimony.
"I never used physical or mental pressure during the questioning," Sutirtayasa said.
"I asked them to read their statements through first before signing."
Susrama continues to deny all allegations presented by prosecution witnesses, saying they are all fabricated.
He claims the police strong-armed the witnesses into making what he says are false statements.
Seven of nine witnesses have recanted their statements given to the police.
