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Denpasar. A lawyer representing a man recently convicted for the murder of a Bali journalist has been forbidden by the Association of Indonesian Lawyers to practice law for six months. The move followed a probe into allegations that the attorney had encouraged witnesses to give false testimony during his client’s trial.

The group, also known as Peradi, said on Saturday that a committee formed to look into allegations against lawyer Suryadharma had found him guilty of coercing witnesses to give false testimony during the trial of Nyoman Susrama, the brother of a Bali district chief who was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Radar Bali journalist Anak Agung Narendra Prabangsa.

Suryadharma is “guilty of violating the lawyer’s code of ethics. We request Peradi to officially issue a letter of temporary suspension, as well as fine” him Rp 2.5 million ($268), said Budi Adnyana, who presided over the ad hoc ethics tribunal. The session was held at the Denpasar Hindu Dharma Institute on Saturday. Susrama is the younger brother of Bangli district head Nengah Arnawa.

Journalists filed the complaint after a witness in the trial, construction worker Nengah Mercadana, told the Denpasar District Court that during a meeting in Arnawa’s house — attended by six lawyers representing Susrama — he had been instructed to give false testimony in the trial.

“Susrama’s lawyer told me to make a statement that I was working at his home on February 11, 2009 [the day Prabangsa was murdered]. But, in fact, I had been told by Susrama to take that day off,” Mercadana said. He then identified one of the lawyers present at the meeting as Suryadharma.

His claim was corroborated by another witness, Nyoman Rajin, who said he had been forced by Susrama’s lawyers to sign an affidavit stating he had been working on Feb. 11.