Sara Connor, David Taylor must wait as Indonesian prosecutors say evidence brief ‘incomplete’

AUSTRALIAN Sara Connor and her British boyfriend will have to wait to find out what charges they will face after prosecutors said that more work needs to be done.

AUSTRALIAN woman Sara Connor and her British boyfriend David Taylor will have to wait longer to find out what charges they will face after prosecutors yesterday told police that more work needs to be done on a brief of evidence against them.

Prosecutors have sent a letter to the police notifying them the brief or dossier was incomplete.

In a lengthy brief of evidence, handed over a week ago, police recommended that Byron Bay woman Connor and Taylor both face murder charges over the death of a Bali police officer.

Mugshot of Sara Connor.

Mugshot of David Taylor.

But under the Indonesian system it is the prosecutors who decide charges and, after perusing the brief, they can and have sent it back to the police for further work before making a decision.

Denpasar prosecutors chief, Ketut Maha Agung, said a letter had been sent to police advising they would provide guidance to have the brief completed.

“Because the dossier is still incomplete. There is still a lack on the dossier that has to be completed. There is a lack of some formal and material requirements that have to be completed,” Mr Agung said.

He said that prosecutors would provide guidance to investigating within the next seven days.

Sara Connor arrives at Denpasar Police Station after a medical check up. Picture: Lukman S Bintoro

It is not unusual in Indonesia for prosecutors to send the brief of evidence back to police multiple times for further investigation and changes before accepting the case and deciding the charges.

Once the brief is accepted the prosecutors decide the appropriate charges and bring the case to court.

Connor and Taylor are currently detained as suspects in the murder of Balinese police officer Wayan Sudarsa, whose bashed and bloodied body was found on a Kuta beach in the early hours of August 17 this year.

Police allege that 34-year-old Taylor repeatedly bashed the officer with a broken beer bottle, the officer’s binoculars and a mobile phone after a fight broke out with the officer relating to Connor’s lost handbag. Taylor had accused the officer of stealing the bag.

Sara Connor takes part in a police reenactment on Kuta beach. Picture: Zul Eduardo

Connor denies any role in the murder, telling police that she tried to break up the fight between the officer and her boyfriend and was trying to protect the victim — not kill him.

The couple is detained in the holding cells of Denpasar police station. Once prosecutors are satisfied with the brief of evidence the couple will be moved to Kerobokan prison to await trial.