Koh Samui, Thailand, Nov 13 (EFE).- Spaniard Daniel Sancho pleaded not guilty to the premeditated murder of Colombian Edwin Arrieta in Thailand on Monday, sources close to the case told EFE.
Sancho, 29, had been charged in the case of the murder and dismemberment of the Colombian surgeon on the island of Koh Phangan in August.
As well as denying premeditated murder in court Monday on the neighboring island of Koh Samui, where he has been held in pretrial detention since August, Sancho also pleaded not guilty to the destruction of other people’s documents, but pleaded guilty to the concealment of a body.
The accused arrived at the court around 9.30 am local time (GMT+7).
His father, famous Spanish actor Rodolfo Sancho, also attended the hearing.
The hearing was held after it was postponed on Oct. 26 due to the defendant’s request to have an in-person interpreter from Thai to Spanish and not to English as had been the case.
Sancho attended with his lawyer Krit Sudthanom, appointed by the court in that same hearing.
The Spaniard has not had a lawyer in Thailand – where he can only be defended by a Thai citizen – since Sep. 7, after his father dispensed with the services of Thai lawyer Anan Chuayprabat due to “discrepancies in the defense.” EFE
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