Eight Finns Beach Club Security Officers Named as Suspects in Assault on Australian Nationals

Bali Police Chief, Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya, stated during a press conference at the Bali Police Headquarters on Thursday (20/2) that the suspects are charged under Article 170(1) of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP) on group assault, which carries a maximum sentence of 6.5 years in prison.

"The suspects collectively assaulted the victims by punching, kicking their faces and stomachs, putting them in headlocks until they fell, and stepping on their feet," said Daniel.

The eight suspects are identified as I Made Laksemana Aryawan, I Gusti Putu Agus Surya Negara, I Wayan Alit Junaedi, I Made Ivan Darma Saputra, I Nengah Dading Gunadi, I Gede Mawantara, and I Nyoman Mertayasa. Meanwhile, the assault victims are Australian nationals with the initials JE, MR, JR, ZR, and RF.

According to the police, the incident began when an Australian national, John Ebid, was removed from Finns Beach Club on Tuesday (11/2) at 8:30 PM WITA. He was reprimanded by security for engaging in an altercation with a Singaporean woman inside the club.

However, the Australian nationals objected to being expelled and allegedly attacked one of the security officers. In response, other security personnel retaliated, leading to a brawl.

"As a result of the assault, the five victims sustained injuries on various parts of their bodies and complained of pain in their necks and entire bodies," Daniel explained.

On the other hand, some security officers also sustained injuries from the altercation. Security officer KBYF suffered a broken lower tooth, as well as injuries to the nose and back of the head. Security officer GDW experienced swelling in the left ear and cheek. Security officer LR sustained a bite wound on the left hand and abrasions on the right elbow, while security officer GNAS suffered bruising on the right cheek.

In a separate police report filed by the chief of security at Finns Beach Club, an Australian national named Muhamed Rifai (27) has also been named a suspect in the incident. He is currently detained at the Bali Police Detention Center, and his case is being handled by the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation of the Bali Police.

The Bali Police Chief emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and that additional suspects may be identified as the case develops. "We will continue to investigate this case and ensure that all parties involved are processed according to the law," he concluded. *ant