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More witnesses come forward in Bali police death case

Sara Connor is escorted by Indonesian police officials.

Sara Connor is escorted by Indonesian police officials. Photo: Getty

Bali investigators say six new witnesses have come forward in the case against Australian Sara Connor and her boyfriend David Taylor, who are accused of murdering a local policeman.

Police say the new witnesses include people who were at the site where Connor and Taylor allegedly burned the clothes they had been wearing on the morning of Wayan Sudarsa’s death.

Both suspects are expected to be returned to the scene of the alleged crime for a full reconstruction of the officer’s death.

It will be the first time they will be confronted with each other’s version of events.

“Our agenda is of course to prepare the dossier. We will do the reconstruction in the future and we will tell you about this,” Bali’s crime unit chief commissioner Reinhard Nainggolan said.

“We will see there how the suspects committed their acts.”

Connor and her British boyfriend are still being detained at the Denpasar Police headquarters, about 10 days after they were named suspects in the case.

sara connor bali murder

Police officer Wayan Sudarsa was found with 42 wounds to his body. Photo: AAP.

On Kuta Beach on last Wednesday morning, the body of officer Wayan Sudarsa was found with 42 wounds, including to his head and neck.

By the following Saturday, 45-year-old Connor from Byron Bay and Taylor, 34, were named suspects under charges including murder and assault causing death.

The Australian woman faces an additional charge of being an accomplice to murder.

Lawyers for Connor insist she is not guilty of murder and that she had tried to protect the victim from Taylor.

She has now also employed Australian barrister Peter Strain to assist in her defence.

Commissioner Nainggolan said there were only two suspects in the case and murder was the predominant charge they both faced.

“It’s the lawyer’s job to defend their clients, but we are the investigators and if we found a victim who lost his life we use the charge of murder,” he said.

Taylor will undergo psychological examination this morning. His co-accused was assessed late last week.

Bali police in contact with AFP

Bali police have confirmed they are coordinating with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) over the alleged murder of a local policeman.

Denpasar Police Chief Hadi Purnomo, who is leading the high profile investigation, said the AFP had sought information from Bali authorities.

“They asked for developments of the case. We have good coordination with the AFP, we have informed them what we have found according to the existing Act,” Senior Commissioner Purnomo said.

Detained British national David Taylor (2nd L) escorted by Indonesian police.

Detained British national David Taylor (2nd L) escorted by Indonesian police. Photo: Getty.

The Commissioner said the AFP had found the pair had no criminal history in Australia and said there was no intervention from Australia in the case.

Bali have up to 100 days to build their case before handing it over to the prosecutor, but they said they would need 20 at most.

Given the victim was an on-duty police officer, those investigators have added incentive to secure justice in the case.

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