The Indonesian woman accused of orchestrating her Australian husband’s murder was the one who gave the signal for her husband to be ambushed and killed, testified one of the alleged hit men in court.
Robert Ellis’ body was found in a rice field ditch in October 2014, wrapped in plastic with his throat slit. His wife of more than 20 years, Noor Ellis, is on trial for premeditated murder as she is accused of ordering a hit on his life and paying off her maid’s boyfriend and a group of others to get the job done.
The Guardian reports that Andreanus Ngongo, alias Aril, testified in Denpasar district court on Wednesday that Noor Ellis told the group of killers to ambush her husband in the kitchen when he got home and gave them a signal that he had arrived home.
Noor Ellis was “looking for someone to kill her husband,” when she contacted him, Aril said in court, as quoted by the Guardian.
The woman staged a meeting with Aril and his four co-accused killers (Martin, Rangga, Urbanus, and Yohannes) in Sanur to talk about the hit for two hours, Aril reportedly testified.
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“The ones talking were Martin and Mrs. Noor,” he reportedly told the court. “About the price. Martin asked for 150 million rupiah ($14,220).
On the day of Ellis’ death, “She said ‘Mr. Bob has come’ … so that we were prepared,” Aril said. “We were told to move to the kitchen by Mrs. Noor. Mrs. Noor gave a towel and pillow to Rangga and Martin to hold Mr. Bob’s face.”
Noor Ellis, however, did not agree with Aril’s testimony and claims there were many errors in the evidence. “I never ordered them to kill, only to take care of things,” she said, as quoted by the Guardian.
Marital issues involving lack of sex and money were cited as motives in the indictment against Noor Ellis.
Her trial reportedly continues next week and her seven accused accomplices (five men and two maids who allegedly helped) will be tried separately.
