East Java man released from custody after being held over German woman’s murder in Bali

Intelligence is reportedly surveilling East Java man Miskan Pranata, 42, now that he’s been released from police custody over the alleged murder of a German woman in Tabanan, west Bali. 

Silke Braun, 55, was disturbingly found dead on Jan. 26 in the Yeh Ho River, near Tegallinggah Village, Tabanan, half naked with her neck, hands, and feet bound. 

Pranata, the foreman for the construction at her villa in Tajen Village, Tabanan was arrested on Saturday. 

The man from Jember has apparently been living at the villa construction site along with 10 other workers. Pranata is the villa’s third contractor, reports say.

Braun, along with her adopted son and her male friend had plans to move into the villa, which was reportedly built a year ago, but because of a leaky roof, the three had been living in a rented house about 500 meters from the villa for the past three months, according to local newspaper Tribun Bali.

Though Pranata has been released for the time being, he’s certainly not in the clear and police are only deepening their investigation. 

Police say they have found blood stains on clothing and on the seat of Pranata’s Honda Vario motorbike.

“We are still doing forensic testing on the bloodstains found on the clothes and bike seat to corroborate evidence,” Tribun quoted an unidentified police source as saying. 

According to Tribun, Pranata has been inconsistent with his story. Police say Pranata confessed to them of committing Braun’s murder, but to the newspaper, Pranata claimed his innocence and said there was no way he could have killed her. 

“I’m depressed, I did not commit such a crime (Braun’s murder),” Tribun quoted Pranata as saying. 



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