Spanish Daniel Sancho At a court hearing in Thailand this Monday, he denied committing premeditated murder. Edwin Arrieta and assured that the Colombian surgeon died in an accident, which represents a turn in the case.

Sancho, 29, has been in temporary custody since August 7 last year. attended the preliminary hearing, which lasted approximately 90 minutes in which the judge read out to him the three crimes the prosecutor accuses him of: premeditated murder, destruction of other people’s documents, and damage and disappearance of the victim’s body parts.

The defendant, who for the first time had a translator from Thai to Spanish, as he requested the court, pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder.

The young man, who was accompanied by representatives of the Spanish Embassy in Thailand and his father, actor Rodolfo Sancho, He insisted to the judge that Arrieta’s death was an accident.although the magistrate reminded him that at today’s meeting he would have to limit himself to admitting or denying his guilt.

Sancho too He refused to be held responsible for the disappearance of the Colombian’s passport. However, he admitted his guilt in dismembering and hiding parts of the victim’s body, the agency reported. EFE various sources associated with this process.

This statement represents a turning point in media history, since the young Spaniard confessed to the premeditated crime before the police on the island of Koh Phangan, where it was allegedly committed on August 2.

From now on, the defense is expected to focus on arguing that Arrieta’s death This happened by accident during a fight. and that it was not a premeditated murder, as police and prosecutors claim.

During his statement to the police Sancho admitted -according to a police report he had access to EFE– killing Arrieta in a fight on August 2 after attempting to end their relationship and then dismembering the body and throwing its parts into the sea and a landfill on Koh Phangan.

You might be interested > Arrieta’s family rules out seeking the death penalty for Sancho due to their religious faith

Lawyers told the agency about this EFE What What matters is what Sancho shows in courtbecause judges do not place much weight on evidence during police interrogations.

In this sense, the prosecutor in the case, Jiravat Savatdichai, explained EFE What the accused has the right to change your declaration at any time, although he warned that this would delay the process.

Jerawat further admitted that now He will have to prove with evidence that the murder was premeditated. and recalled that the autopsy does not determine one hundred percent the cause of death of the victim, since fundamental parts such as the chest are missing, which were never found.

Premeditated murder is punishable by death in Thailand if convicted reduces to life imprisonment or multi-year imprisonment.

During today’s hearing, the young Spaniard told the judge that wanted to refuse the services of public defender of Crete Sudtanom, which was assigned to him on October 26, when the accused appeared in court without a private lawyer.

You might be interested > According to Thai police, an autopsy showed that Arrieta died after Sancho slit his throat.

According to what the lawyer himself said at the door of the court today, Sancho has requested a new lawyer, who will also be appointed judge at the new hearing on November 27.

Sancho, who did not meet with Crete, claimed that he wanted to do without this lawyer because I was not satisfied with his behavior and performance. and asked the court for new ex officio assistance, as he reported EFE source relevant to the case.

The Spaniard has not had a lawyer in Thailand – where he can only be defended by a Thai lawyer – since September 7, after the accused’s father Rodolfo Sancho refused the services of lawyer Anan Chuaiprabat for “differences in defense.”

Sancho’s father has the support and advice of a Spanish firm. Marcos Garcia-Montes and the Legal Criminological Directorate of Bafalgona-Chipirras.

A Thai lawyer representing Edwin Arrieta’s family also made his first visit to Samui court today since it announced last Friday that the victim’s relatives They are seeking to bring Daniel Sancho to trial.

As the court was told today, next November 27 Arrieta’s family’s request to be part of the prosecution will be examined.

Also on the 27th there will be the process of reviewing evidence by the prosecutor’s office and the defense, which will give way to a trial that could take place between February and April 2024.

(EFE)