Wife of murdered Briton admits she ordered his killing

The wife of a British man found with his throat slashed and dumped in a ditch in Bali has admitted her role in his murder, police said yesterday.

Mr Robert Ellis, 60, was killed on instructions from his Indonesian wife, with money being a suspected motive.

Residents found the decomposing body of Mr Ellis, who had lived in Bali for several years, early on Tuesday next to a paddy field, wrapped in plastic and blankets.

The wife, Julaikah Noor Ellis, went to the police to report her husband missing soon after the body was found, but she was later detained and named as a suspect in the case, AFP reported.

"Our suspicion towards the wife of the victim was first aroused when some of the victim's friends said there had been problems between the couple for a while," Badung police captain Wisnu Wardhana said.

CONFESSED

"After talking to her slowly and kindly for a while, she finally admitted it."

She was in the house at the time of the killing, but told police that she was in her room when it took place, he said.

The boyfriend of a house maid had carried out the killing, police said.

The maid had admitted it took place in Mr Ellis' kitchen between Sunday evening and Monday morning.

The wife, two maids and the boyfriend are in police custody, while four friends of the alleged murderer are being pursued by police.

Mr Ellis lived in a villa in Sanur, and his body was found in a village to the north of the tourist area, far away from other houses.

He was originally from Britain but had been living in Australia for a long time before moving to Bali, and held dual nationality.

The news comes after the body of an American tourist was found stuffed in a suitcase outside a hotel on the island in August.

The victim's daughter and her daughter's boyfriend were arrested over the killing.

Bali attracts millions of foreign visitors every year with its palm-fringed beaches and tropical climate.

While foreigners often fall foul of Indonesia's tough anti-drug laws, which carry the death penalty, grisly murders are rare.

This article was first published on Oct 23, 2014.
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