DENPASAR – An Australian national, Mohamed Rifai (27), has been sentenced to four months in prison for assaulting a security guard at Finns Beach Club. Rifai was found legally and conclusively guilty of assaulting Finns Beach Club security guard I Made Bagus Yohanandita (33), causing him to lose consciousness.

“Sentencing the defendant to a prison term of four months, reduced by the time the defendant has spent in custody, with an order that the defendant remain detained,” stated head judge Anak Agung Made Aripathi Nawaksara at the Kartika Courtroom of the Denpasar District Court on Thursday (June 5, 2025).

The sentence handed down by the judge to Rifai is lighter than the five-month sentence sought by Public Prosecutor (JPU) I Made Lovi Pusnawan.

According to the judge, there were mitigating factors in Rifai’s sentence. The Australian man was deemed to have behaved well during the trial. However, aggravating factors included the assault causing the victim to lose a tooth and sustain bleeding head injuries.

The defendant’s legal counsel, Sabam Antonius, stated that the four-month prison sentence was considered the best outcome for Rifai, his family, and his legal team.

“I believe the facts of the trial were sufficiently fair, and we have also explained to him (the defendant) that appealing would no longer be possible,” Sabam said.

Sabam clarified that the verdict handed down by the panel of judges was acceptable. “This is the best outcome from the court’s decision, and we accept it; we taught him to accept it,” he explained.

According to Sabam, if there were any objections, the trial process would be prolonged. Sabam claimed that Rifai’s family had also resigned themselves and accepted the imposed sentence. “This is the best. There are no objections,” Sabam added.

For context, Rifai only needs to serve an additional 10 days in detention from the date of the Denpasar District Court’s ruling. This is because he has been held at the Bali Police Detention Center since February 14, 2025.