Four Aussies in Bali jail lose their bid to have sentences reduced and put in isolation after being caught with secret mobile phones

By CAITLIN POWELL - NEWS REPORTER Published: 07:50, 18 August 2026 | Updated: 07:55, 18 August 2026 Four Australians in a Bali jail have lost bids to reduce their sentences and been put in isolation after prison officers caught them with secret mobile phones. About 1,041 inmates at Kerobokan prison, which was built to house just 300, had their sentences reduced for good behaviour on Monday, Indonesia's Independence Day.  But Australian drug smuggler Lamar Aaron Ahchee and the 'Bali Three' – a trio who organised the shooting of a father-of-six in a luxury villa in 2025 – were not on the list.  Ahchee, Mevlut Coskun, Paea I Middlemore Tupou and Sydney private schoolboy Darcy Jenson were refused the privilege after officers found their secret phones.  The Bali Three were found in possession of a phone between May and June, Kerobokan Prison Governor Tunggul Buwono said.  Ahchee's mobile was discovered on August 9, just days before the list of those granted a sentence reduction was sent to the government for approval. Governor Buwono said all four men have been put in isolation for 12 days. They will not receive visits or mail. 'They could not get remission (for their sentences) as they violated the rules. They were allegedly found with a mobile phone,' he said.  Australian drug smuggler Lamar Aaron Ahchee (pictured) and the Bali Three have been left off the list of inmates at Kerobokan prison who had their sentences reduced on Monday Ahchee was found guilty of drug trafficking last year after he received two packages filled with 54 individually wrapped Lindt chocolates – each containing 8.3g of cocaine Ahchee, Mevlut Coskun, Paea I Middlemore Tupou and Sydney private schoolboy Darcy Jenson (pictured) were refused the privilege after officers found their secret phones All four men are also on the 'Register F list', which records the names of inmates who have violated the rules. Their status will be evaluated every six months and, if they do not commit another violation, they may have their sentences reduced next year.  The punishment marks the latest loss for the Bali Three, who were convicted of killing Melbourne man Zivan Radmanovic, 32, inside a holiday home in Munggu in June last year.  The trio testified during their trial that they were hired to collect a debt from another man staying in the holiday villa, Sanar Ghanim, who was also beaten and shot.  Both men allegedly had links to Melbourne's underworld.  Last month, Jenson's legal team appealed a sentence of 17 years, arguing the High Court decision appeared to contain multiple serious errors.  Coskun and Tupou also appealed after they were each sentenced to 16 years by the High Court. However, on July 3, the Supreme Court decided Jenson should serve the longest sentence – 18 years in prison – despite not stepping foot inside the villa during the murder.  Jenson (pictured), Tupou and Coskun were convicted over the fatal shooting of Melbourne man Zivan Radmanovic, 32, inside a holiday home in Munggu in June last year Tupou was sentenced to 17 years' imprisonment, while Coskun was jailed for 16 years, with both avoiding the death penalty. Ahchee has previously had success reducing his term in the Indonesian jail after he was sentenced to 12 years behind bars for drug trafficking.  The Queenslander, who had lived in Bali for eight years, was arrested in May last year after he received two packages filled with 54 individually wrapped Lindt chocolates – each containing 8.3g of cocaine.  His original prison term was reduced to a nine-year sentence in January after a decision by a panel of judges at the Bali High Court. He is still required to pay a fine of two billion Indonesian Rupiah, equivalent to around $169,000 AUD.  If unable to pay the fee, he faces an additional six months behind bars.