‘Victim’: Aussie’s lawyer claims self-defence

Aussie man Mohamed Rifai has faced a Bali court for the first time, charged with assaulting a security guard at a popular beach club.

Australian Mohamed Rifai, 28, has faced a Bali court today for the first time after being accused of attacking and injuring a security guard outside one of Bali’s most exclusive beach clubs in February this year.

Bali prosecutor Lovi Pusnawan read out the indictment and charged Mr Rifai with article 351 subsection 1 and subsection 2 of the Criminal Code for assaulting the security guard at Finns Beach Club.

If found guilty, Mr Rifai could face five years in prison.

“The defendant Mohamed Rifai’s act has caused the victim to suffer injuries in the head, bruises in the mouth, and loss of his teeth,” the prosecutor said at Denpasar District Court in Bali.

Mr Rifai decided to not lodge an objection over the indictment and did not give any comment.

The trial will continue on May 8 to hear statements from witnesses.

Mr Rifai’s lawyer Sabam Antonius said that his client was actually the victim in the incident.

“He only defended himself after he was attacked,” Sabam told reporters outside the courtroom.

Trial begins in Bali for Aussie Mohamed Rifai who was accused of assaulting a security guard at Finns Beach Club. Picture: Komang Erviani

Viral footage of the shocking melee showed shirtless men wielding what appeared to be planks of wood as they clashed with security guards at popular Finns Beach Club.

Bali police claim a fight involving Mr Rifai and his four Australian friends started with a Singaporean man in the club, before escalating into a large brawl with security guards in the parking lot outside.

Video footage reportedly shows shirtless Australian tourist and his mates wielding what appear to be planks of wood during a brawl outside Finns Beach Club.

Bali Police Chief Ida Bagus Kade Putra Narendra released a detailed account of the incident, alleging that Mr Rifai caused serious injury to one of the guards during the altercation.

“One of the foreigners named MR (Mohamed Rifai) attacked the security guard I Made Bagus Yohanandita by approaching the victim Yohanandita in a standing position,” the account read.

“MR then pushed and hit Yohanandita in the face by swinging his right fist to the victim’s face, so that the victim fell to the floor and was unconscious and suffered a torn wound on the back of his head, and also his upper and lower lips were bleeding and two of the victim’s lower front teeth fell out and the victim’s nose was bleeding.”

Mr Yohanandita was taken to hospital for treatment.

After the brawl, Mr Rifai and his friends left Finns Beach Club, allegedly without paying. He was subsequently detained, arrested and charged with assault, while his friends were questioned and released.

Bali police have also charged eight security guards with “group assault” as a result of the melee.

Originally published as ‘Victim’: Aussie’s lawyer claims self-defence