Indonesian woman gets 12 -year jail sentence for hiring hitmen to kill British husband

A 45-year-old Indonesian woman who ordered the contract killing of her British husband, Robert Ellis was handed a 12 year prison sentence, much to the anger of her two sons who are calling for an appeal against the sentence.

Julaikah Noor Ellis had admitted to paying three men to murder her 60 year old husband at their home in Bali, Agence France-Presse reported, according to the Jakarta Post.

Richard, who also holds an Australian passport, was found in a ditch with his throat slashed in late October in Bali.

Judge Anak Agung Ketut Anom Wirankanta said at the Denpasar district court that Ellis had been proven legally and convincingly guilty of deliberately committing premeditated murder.

He took into account Ellis' previous clean record and her remorse when deciding on her sentence.

The court earlier heard that relations between the couple soured when Ellis' husband failed to provide for her financially. She had claimed that Richard had also taken money set aside for the children's education and had refused to grant her a divorce.

She confessed to offering three men the equivalent of $11,300 (£7,293) to kill her husband, according to the Jakarta Post.

Two of the three men, were also sentenced to 12 years in jail. The third murderer will be sentenced on 11 June. The three men murdered Richard at his home and then dumped the body next to a paddy field.

The Jakarta Post said Ellis is still considering whether to appeal against the sentence, according to her lawyer.

Couple's sons asks prosecution to appeal the sentence

Her two sons, Peter, 19, and John, 23, however, who were in court for the verdict and sentencing, felt that anything less than 20 years was inadequate and called on the prosecution to appeal the sentence, the Daily Mail reported.

The sons, who had refused to attend their mother's trial, had said that they want to see justice done for their father.