A 39-year-old Balinese man, I Gede Wijaya, is on trial in the Denpasar High Court for the murder of an Australian, Troy Mccallum Scott Johnston (40).
As reported by Kompas.com, Public Prosecutor Ayu Alit Sutari Dewi told a panel of judges how a drunken altercation between Wijaya, a local bar owner near Balangan Beach, resulted in the death of Johnston.
Prosecutor Sutari Dewi told the judges that at around 3:00 a.m. on Thursday, 23 February 2023, Wijaya, the proprietor of the Uncle Benz Warung on Jalan Pantai Balangan, took the life of the Australian miner on leave rotation in Bali. The Court heard how Troy Johnston entered the warung at 10:00 p.m. already in possession of 10 bottles of beer. The Australian then ordered arak mixed with soda and lime juice, drinking in the company of Wijaya and another man. The evening continued as the two men discussed Johnston’s desire to purchase land on Balangan Beach. Wijaya then invited Johnston to an in-law’s house to discuss the possible land transaction.
Returning from the outside meeting, Troy and Wijaya continued to drink beer, escalating into a fight where beer bottles and glasses were thrown at passing vehicles. Wijaya apologized to the motorist on behalf of Johnston while scolding the drunken Australian for misbehaving.
Later, Troy Johnston kept acting in an unusual manner by urinating on Wijaya’s leg and exposing himself to two customers at the warung. At that point, according to the Prosecutor, Wijaya asked Johnston to calm down. The Australian responded by punching the Indonesian man, trying to choke him, and biting his shoulder. Johnston’s unruly conduct continued apace by throwing glassware into the street and uprooting plants at the warung’s entrance. Wijaya continued to caution Johnston to be calm before being hit with furniture thrown by the Australian.
Wijaya managed to wrestle control of the thrown furniture from the hands of Johnston and hit his assailant’s head, rendering the Australian unconscious. The prosecutors determined the deceased Australian was inebriated at the time of death via post-mortem blood tests. Forensic examination showed the dead Australian had suffered blunt force injuries to his head with numerous bloody contusions to the brain.
Prosecutors have charged I Gede Wijaya with homicide, carrying a maximum criminal penalty of 15 years imprisonment, or with homicidal assault resulting in 7 years in prison.
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