KOH SAMUI Provincial Court today (Oct. 26) postponed a hearing of a Spanish chef who has been charged with murdering a Colombian surgeon on Koh Phangan last August with his body parts found packed in a suitcase and dumped in the sea and the rest discarded at a garbage dump, Naewna newspaper said.
Mr. Daniel Jeronimo Sancho Bronchalo., 29, was brought to the court for the hearing in the murder and dismemberment of Colombian surgeon Mr. Edwin Arrieta, 44, at 9 a.m. but this was postponed till Nov. 13 after he requested a Spanish interpreter as he was not fluent in English.
The hearing was initially put off till 1.30 p.m. and when it resumed the court had arranged for an online Spanish interpreter but Sancho asked for one to be present in person as he was afraid that distant communication could lead to inaccuracies.
The hearing will now take place at 9 a.m. on Nov. 13 with the Spanish embassy to send a Spanish interpreter to the Koh Samui court on that day.
On Wednesday, the Prosecutor’s Office presented to the court its report in which it accused Sancho of premeditated murder and concealment of a body – which police had established in their investigation – as well as the destruction of other people’s documents. These were to be read to the Spaniard at today’s hearing, EFE-EPA reported
In addition to the postponement, the court assigned Sancho a lawyer, Mr. Krit Sudthanom, who said at the courthouse that he has not yet met with Sancho and that he will not do so until Nov. 13.
The Spaniard has not had a lawyer in Thailand – where he can only be defended by a Thai citizen – since Sep. 7, after his famous actor father Mr. Rodolfo Sancho dispensed with the services of lawyer Anan Chuayprabat due to “discrepancies in the defence.”
Rodolfo Sancho was in court today and was able to speak with his son before he was transferred back to Koh Samui prison, where he has been in pretrial detention since Aug. 7.
Two days earlier, the accused had confessed to police on Koh Phangan to the murder and dismemberment of Arrieta.
Thailand’s Penal Code provides for the death penalty for crimes such as premeditated murder, but if handed down, this is usually later commuted to life imprisonment.
On the other hand, the confession and cooperation of the accused could help to reduce a sentence.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Spanish chef Daniel Jeronimo Sancho Bronchalo.
First insert: Spanish actor Rodolfo Sancho, father of Spanish chef Daniel Sancho, arrives for his son’s hearing at Koh Samui Provincial Court today, Oct. 26, 2023.
Second insert: Spanish chef Daniel Sancho reenacting the crime on Koh Phangan after his arrest.
Front Page: Blurred images of Daniel Sancho and Edwin Arrieta inset over Koh Phangan garbage dump. All photos: Naewna
Also read: Spanish chef confesses to murdering Colombian surgeon
Koh Phangan murder: Knife, blood stains found in Spanish suspect’s room
Dismembered body part found at Koh Phangan garbage dump
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Foreigner found dead with slit throat in Pattaya
