Bali cop murder: analysis of evidence suggests Wayan Sudarsa didn’t have to die

BALI police officer Wayan Sudarsa could have been saved on at least three occasions, according to an analysis of evidence against Sara Connor and David Taylor.

THERE were at least three occasions on which the life of Bali police officer Wayan Sudarsa may have been saved, a News Corporation analysis of the brief of evidence against Byron Bay woman Sara Connor and her British boyfriend David Taylor shows.

These include a security guard who witnessed part of the fight on the beach, a motorbike taxi driver who also saw some of the fight and another motorbike taxi rider and his friend who came across the police officer lying on the beach in the aftermath of the incident, when he appeared to be still alive.

The trial of David Taylor resumes in Bali on Wednesday where prosecutors are expected to call eight witnesses to testify about the night, August 17 this year, when police veteran Wayan Sudarsa died on a Kuta beach.

Sara Connor’s trial is set down for Thursday when prosecutors will call the first group of five witnesses against her, including the chief police investigator. It will also be the first opportunity for Connor to respond in court to those witnesses and what they say.

Bali police officer Wayan Sudarsa didn’t have to die, according to a News Corporation analysis of evidence. Picture:

So far four witnesses have testified against Taylor but twice prosecutors have called Pullman Hotel security guard, 21-year-old Suryana, and twice he has failed to turn up.

News Corporation understands that he has now left his job in Bali and moved back to his hometown in West Java. He is summoned to appear at Taylor’s trial on Wednesday and at Connor’s trial on Thursday as well.

Suryana is one of the few witnesses in the brief of evidence who saw the incident between the police officer and Taylor and Connor. He is also one of the witnesses whose intervention may have changed the course of that night.

In his statement, Suryana told police that at 1.05am he went from his post, at the Pullman Hotel, across the road from the beach, after his boss heard someone calling out.

There he says in his statement he observed a local man on the sand, with a foreign man with dreadlocks sitting on top of him and a foreign woman with her arm around the officer’s neck.

“Once I get in to the beach, I saw a local man (victim) lying on the sand. His body was sat on by a foreign man that have a dreads hair while holding the victim’s hand.

“And one other is woman that facedown while having her left arm around the victim’s neck. At that time I heard the victim sighing (aaaa ... aaaa ... aaaa) like someone kidding and his body was not moving,” Suryana said in the statement.

Sara Connor’s trial will resume on Thursday while David Taylor’s trial is scheduled for Wednesday. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro

“When I saw that, I stay silent and only observe (saw) them for around 15 minutes. Because they were only seen like that (like people kidding), I went back to the post (security post) as I did not see suspicious things.”

“When I already in security post, at around 2.15, a foreign man with a dreadlocks hair that I had seen sat on the victim’a body at the beach was passing, walking to north while cleaning sands from his body.

After that, I did not pay attention again.”

Suryana said he watched for about 15 minutes, but believing it was not serious, left them to it. He had no idea the man on the sand was a police officer. That part of the beach is notorious for transvestites and Suryana appears to have thought the incident was not serious, heading back to his security post.

Around the same, also at 1.05am, motorbike taxi rider, Samuel Yohanes Unwakoly, rode past the beach that night. He knew officer Sudarsa, whom he called Pak Kumis or moustache and recognised him arguing with a foreign man. But he continued riding and did not stop.

Later in the evening, about 2am, he came back past the beach and stopping to urinate, found Connor’s drivers licence and ATM card.

Another ojek rider, Gede Suartama, who is also summoned to appear at Taylor’s trial today told police in his statement that he was riding past the scene when Connor tried to stop him for a lift but because he was afraid of blood and she had blood on her clothes he refused to take her.

Wayan Sudarsa's wife Ketut Arsini and her two sons Putu Yudi and Kadek Toni in their home in Jimbaran, Bali. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro

Later at 2.30am he rode past the beach again, this time with a friend and the pair stopped.

They saw a man lying on the sand making what they described as snoring noises, but believing he was drunk, left him there. They opted not to disturb him, fearing he may become angry.

This was clearly Sudarsa dying.

“I and Castari (his friend) went to the beach. There was no light and it was dark. I saw someone lying, Castari also saw it. I don’t know the condition of that man. That man was around one or two metres from me and Castari and at that time I was was walking with Castari next to me.

“At the time I and Castari were worried that the man was drunk and if I approach him he will be angry,” Suartama said in his statement.

He later asked a taxi driver if the matter had been reported to police and told local village security Officer Sudarsa died with 17 head wounds and 42 wounds to his body altogether after he was allegedly bashed about the head with a broken beer bottle, his own binoculars and an old mobile phone.

Prosecutors allege that Taylor and Connor together were involved in the murder.

David Taylor taking part in a police re-enactment with Sara Connor on Kuta beach. Picture: Zul Eduardo

Connor however denies playing any role in the fight between her boyfriend and the officer, which was sparked after claims the officer had stolen her handbag. She maintains she tried to separate the pair from fighting that evening and has twice told the Judges that she is innocent of the charges.

Taylor too has supported Connor’s version, saying that he was acting alone in the fight, thus distancing his girlfriend from the main murder charge.

Originally published as Bali cop murder: analysis of evidence suggests Wayan Sudarsa didn’t have to die