In a Balinese courtroom, three Australians facing charges for the murder of a gangland leader and the injury of another individual have pleaded for leniency.

On Monday, Mevlut Coskun, Paea I Middlemore Tupou, and Darcy Francesco Jenson appeared in court in connection with the alleged killing of Zivan Radmanovic and the wounding of Sanar Ghanim on June 14, 2025.

The prosecution alleged that Ghanim suffered six gunshot wounds, while Radmanovic endured a brutal beating with a sledgehammer before being shot fatally. Both victims reportedly had ties to Melbourne’s criminal underworld.

The incident occurred while the victims were staying at a villa in the Munggu region, celebrating the 30th birthday of Radmanovic’s wife, Jazmyn.

Coskun and Tupou are accused of breaking into the villa at night, allegedly hired by an Australian man to recover a ‘debt.’ They purportedly used a sledgehammer to force entry and assault Ghanim and Radmanovic.

Jenson is accused of handling the logistics for the alleged crime, organizing travel arrangements such as accommodations, car hires, and scooter rentals in the months leading up to the incident.

All three men were arrested in the days after the alleged shooting as they tried to flee the country. 

Coskun, 22, and Tupou, 27, have been tried together while Jenson, 27, faced a separate trial.

Mevlut Coskun (left), Paea I Middlemore Tupou (centre) and Darcy Francesco Jenson (right) faced court on Monday

Tupou (above) shared a letter to Mr Radmanovic’s family with the court, reading that he was wished to ‘sincerely apologise’

On Monday, lawyer Ricky Rajendar Singh – representing Coskun and Tupou – asked the court to convict his clients of assault causing death, rather than murder.

‘We beg to the panel of judges to sentence the defendant Mevlut Coskun and Paea I Middlemore Tupou with a light as possible sentence,’ Mr Singh said.

‘If the panel of judges have a different opinion, we beg the judges to sentence them as fair as possible.’

Mr Singh argued his clients didn’t intend the kill the alleged victims, had never committed crimes before, were cooperative during the trial and apologised the the alleged victim’s family.

He also added a few personal notes about the defendants, saying they were young and acted as the ‘economic backbone’ of their respective families. 

The assault charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years behind bars while a murder conviction could result in the death penalty.

While Coskun did not speak at the trial, Tupou read out a letter for Mr Radmanovic’s family.

‘I’d like to take this moment to sincerely apologise to your family for the suffering I’ve caused and for the loss of your beloved Zivan,’ he said.

The men are accused of organising and executing a shooting at a Balinese villa (pictured) June 14, 2025

Ghanim (right) was wounded by six bullets while Radmanovic (left) was beaten with a sledgehammer before being fatally shot

‘I understand that no words are offered can ever lessen your grief or undo what has occurred but I am truly and deeply sorry for the pain and the heartbreak your family has been forced to endure.

‘I recognise the seriousness of this tragedy and the significance of what has been taken from you. Zivan was a man who held an important and irreplaceable place within your family and I acknowledge that my actions have forever changed your lives. 

‘I take full responsibility for what I’ve done and for the consequences that follow.

‘I do not expect forgiveness, nor do I believe I am entitled to it. I only wish for you to know that I am genuinely remorseful and that the weight of this loss and the harm I caused is something I will carry with me every day. 

‘I am deeply sorry for the pain, sorrow and suffering my actions have brought upon your family.’

In his trial, Jenson’s lawyer called for his client to be freed as he was not seen at the villa on the night of the alleged shooting.

Jenson then shared his own statement with the court, pleading for the court to consider he did not commit a violent crime. 

‘I respectfully ask the court to consider the implications of the 17-year sentence requested by the prosecution,’ he said.

Jenson (above) asked the court to consider a 17-sentence, sought by the prosecutor, would ‘erase my life’ and is the ‘destruction of an innocent person’s future’

‘Before the tragic events that bring me before you today, I had never been involved directly or indirectly in violence, illegal activity or criminal conduct of any kind. 

‘For that reason, I struggle to comprehend how the prosecution can allege that I travelled to Bali with the intention of organising a premeditated murder and an attempted premeditated murder. 

‘That allegation is inconsistent with my character, my history and the life I have lived for 27 years.’

Jenson argued a 17-year sentence ‘would effectively erase my life’. 

‘Punishing me for something I didn’t know about and did not intend is not justice,’ Jenson said.

‘It is the destruction of an innocent person’s future. It would also send a troubling message that even full cooperation and honesty offer no protection against the harshest possible outcomes.

‘I am accused of aiding a murder based on a series of actions which, taken individually, are lawful and ordinary; renting vehicles, booking accommodation, purchasing tools. 

‘If such everyday acts, without proven intent, can retrospectively be labelled aiding, the criminal liability becomes limitless.’