British Man Murdered in Bali Rice Field

THE wife of a man found murdered in Bali has confessed to ordering a hit on her husband as one of his alleged killers was arrested.

Police said it would be alleged that Robert Kelvin Ellis’ wife, Julaikah Noor Aini, paid to have her husband murdered for many reasons, including claims that he often cheated on her.

Julaikah Noor Aini, who is Indonesian, is known as Noor Ellis.

Mr Ellis, a 60-year-old British national, is believed to have lived in Australia before moving to Bali to live.

Another three people are being hunted for involvement in the death.

Mr Ellis’ body was found wrapped in plastic and dumped in a ditch at Badung. His throat had been slashed and he had suffered neck wounds. His body was also covered by a bed sheet.

Badung police chief Komang Suartana said tonight: “We have appointed his wife as a suspect. We have also caught one of the killers and we are still pursuing three others.”

Police said one alleged killer had been arrested at Padang Bai in east Bali. ''The motive is because his wife felt embittered with the victim,” Mr Suartana said. “Because of many things. She said that her husband is often cheating on her. We allege that she paid the executioners to kill her husband.”

Staff at the Emerald Villa complex in Sanur, where the couple lived, said the pair’s two sons studied in Australia.

Police originally said that Mr Ellis was an Australian but later revised this, saying it was understood he had spent time in Australia.

The body was found about 8am local time on Tuesday by a farmer near a rice field and was taken to Sanglah morgue for an autopsy.

The farmer originally saw the body in the ditch on Monday morning but did not realise it what it was until Tuesday, when he looked more closely.

A doormat and mobile phone were also found near the body, along with some US dollars.

Ida Bagus Putu Alit, the head of the forensic team, said the victim’s throat had been cut and there were three open wounds in the neck and chin.

He said the victim probably died about 18 to 24 hours before the body was found, so in the early morning of Monday.

Police have said that the couple was last seen together about 1.10pm on Sunday, leaving the villa complex by car. (news.com.au)