Wife of Australian who died in Bali cell speaks out 'to those he wronged' as his grovelling apology days before his death is revealed - and an eerie post about how he wanted to be remembered

Published: 15:44, 20 July 2026 | Updated: 15:44, 20 July 2026 The Indonesian ex-wife of a Perth man who died in a Bali detention cell after she tipped off immigration authorities about his overstay has pleaded with his car restoration customers to forgive him. Cameron Hughes, 39, died on July 10 after he was found unresponsive inside the bathroom of the Indonesian immigration detention cell.  Mr Hughes had been placed in a detention room at the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office where he was waiting to be deported for breaching his visa. On Thursday, Balinese police declared his death a suicide after an autopsy and confirmed his ex-wife Indah had tipped off officials that he was breaching his visa after their marriage ended in 2024. The couple share an eight-year-old son. Mr Hughes had lived in Bali for 15 years and operated a car restoration business - Holden Resto Bali - which is understood to have closed down in December. His sudden death comes as furious customers blasted Mr Hughes online, with many suggesting they had been wronged and 'ripped off' by the panel beater after they received unfinished, unroadworthy and damaged cars. Many also fear they have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in unfinished work, with Daily Mail finding multiple Facebook groups for disaffected customers. In a Facebook post seen by the ABC after his death, Indah reportedly told his customers she hoped they could 'find it in (their) hearts to forgive him'. Cameron Hughes, 39, died last week after he was found unresponsive inside the bathroom of an Indonesian immigration detention cell His ex-wife Indah, who tipped off immigration officials that he'd breached his visa, has pleaded with his ticked-off car restoration customers to 'find it in their hearts to forgive him' A dedicated Facebook page has been launched for Mr Hughes' customers to share their 'horror stories' after receiving unfinished and unroadworthy cars from him 'I humbly ask for your forgiveness for any mistakes, hurt, or wrongs he may have caused during his lifetime,' Indah said. Daily Mail understands the scale of Holden Resto Bali's alleged misconduct is so great that a dedicated Facebook page has been founded for customers to share their Holden Resto Bali 'Horror Stories.' A secondary community group has also now appeared following Mr Hughes' death to help existing customers recover their vehicle or parts. While Mr Hughes reportedly denied scamming people, he is said to have apologised in a message sent two days prior to his death, the ABC reports. 'I also need to apologise… to everyone for my stupid behaviour in recent times. A lot of it caused by stress, confusion and hitting the turps,' he said in the message. It comes as a draft statement by Mr Hughes' family, which they said he had written six days before his death, showed him defending his work and denying allegations his business 'deliberately does poor-quality work.' 'I was dealing with enormous personal and business stress. My health deteriorated badly. I was hospitalised late last year and again early this year with ulcers and anaemia, requiring blood transfusions,' the statement said. 'I have since received information from former staff suggesting that work was, at various times, deliberately slowed or stalled and that some work was carried out below the standards I had instructed.' He said he wanted to be remembered as a father and husband 'who loved unconditionally' and believed in second chances in a haunting social media post that recently surfaced Mr Hughes leaves behind a young son who he shares with his ex-wife Indah The Daily Mail also understands Mr Hughes told customers a multitude of other reasons he could not complete car builds on time, such as slipping over in the bath and breaking his nose, receiving the wrong medication from doctors and suffering from kidney stones and ulcers. It comes as a haunting social media post from Mr Hughes telling his loved ones how he wished to be remembered. In the post, Mr Hughes said he wanted to be remembered as a 'father and husband that loved his son and wife unconditionally.' 'I want to be remembered as someone that gives second chances to people, as I am grateful for the second chances people have given me over the years,' he wrote. 'Despite the challenges I've faced throughout my life, I've managed to smash through them all... I'm proud to be recognised as self-made, I started from nothing, and I've built a comfortable life for my family.' Last week, Indonesian authorities confirmed they began investigating Mr Hughes when he obtained a new passport with only a tourist visa. He had previously been allowed to stay in the country permanently while married on a KITAP permit, but that was voided when he and his wife split up. He was put back on a tourist visa but he had overstayed that by 98 days, and was also breaching the law by running a business while on a visitor visa. An immigration officer found Mr Hughes unconscious in the bathroom of his cell (above) Bali Police shared CCTV of Cameron Hughes in his cell (above) shortly before he died Detained and set for deportation, he would have been blacklisted from re-entering Bali for at least six months, and possibly years, authorities said, depending on the seriousness of the breach. Ngurah Rai Immigration Office Head, Bugie Kurniawan, confirmed Mr Hughes' Indonesian ex-wife made the report against him, which led to his arrest. 'Immigration received a report regarding a foreign national allegedly engaging in activities that were not in accordance with the conditions of his stay permit,' he said. 'The report was submitted by an Indonesian citizen with the initials NKIY, who is the former wife of the reported foreign national. 'The team subsequently conducted a review through the immigration stay permit system and identified (Mr Hughes) whose stay permit was valid until April 4, 2026.' After Mr Hughes repeatedly failed to organise his return to Australia, officials say they were forced to apprehend him at his home on July 10. By then, he had overstayed his visa for 98 days. Daily Mail has contacted Mr Hughes' widow for comment. It's understood the couple split in 2024 and his wife told authorities about his visa in 2025. Help is available. For free and confidential counselling 24/7, contact: Lifeline 13 11 14 Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636