M

urdered journalist AA Narendra Prabangsa had once told the editor-in-chief of Radar Bali that the case for corruption in an investigative report he was filing was difficult to prove.

The editor, Made Rai Warsa, testified before the Denpasar District Court on Tuesday at the trial of I Nyoman Susrama, charged with the premeditated murder of Prabangsa. He told the panel of judges that the late journalist showed his articles to the editor prior to publication.

"He admitted that he faced difficulties in clearly establishing the *corruption* cases involving the defendant, I Nyoman Susrama." Warsa said.

In his articles, Prabangsa uncovered a number of irregularities various projects including the development of an international school in Bangli regency.

Warsa said the police informed Susrama, the younger brother of the Bangli regent, as well as eight others allegedly involved in the murder of Prabangsa.

Warsa said he received Prabangsa's last call on Feb.11, 2009 at 8 a.m., the same day the nine defendants allegedly killed the journalist.

"At the time, Prabangsa had asked me for permission to take a day off because he had to attend a religious ceremony in his hometown in Bangli," Warsa said.

The editor said he refused to give permission saying the other editors were off. "Prabangsa insisted on going to Bangli after all," Warsa said.

The second witness, I Nengah Sidia, did not testify before the court after Susrama's lawyer rejected his testimony.

"Sidia is the lawyer of another of the defendants, Rencana. If he testified before the court, he would violate client-lawyer privileges, which prohibits any lawyer from revealing information about their clients," Susrama's lawyer argued.

The Denpasar District Court heard testimony in the trials of I Nyoman Susrama and the eight other defendants, I Nyoman Wiradnyana (popularly referred to as Rencana), I Komang Gede Wardana (popularly referred to as Mangde), Dewa Gede Mulya Antara (popularly referred to as Dewa Sumbawa), Ida Bagus Made Adnyana Narbawa (popularly referred to as Gus Oblong) and I Wayan Suecita (popularly referred to as Maong). These seven defendants face death sentence for allegedly committed murder.

The other two defendants, Endy Mashuri and Dariyanto (popularly referred to as Jampes) face a maximum sentence of nine months in prison.

The trials have attracted huge publicity since they involved influential people.

Prabangsa was killed and his body was dumped off the Klungkung coast.