Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

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Bristolian
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Re: Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

Post by Bristolian »

2nd Day of Trial
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/j ... a-evidence

A Thai court hearing the case of two Burmese men accused of murdering two British backpackers stalled on the second day of a three-month trial after a police officer failed to present what the defence says is key DNA evidence.
The head judge on a panel of three in a court on the tropical holiday-making island of Koh Samui said that he would rule on the matter on Thursday, when Police Lieutenant Colonel Somsak Nurod, who is believed to hold evidence related to the case, would appear to testify

But Nurod spent only a few minutes in the court, where he showed the judge of list of evidence exhibits.

This included the alleged murder weapon, a hoe, which was used to kill Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk and David Miller, 24, from Jersey on Sairee beach on the nearby Koh Tao island on September 15.

He left shortly after to recheck what other evidence was available. It was not immediately clear if DNA evidence, collected from sperm and cigarette found at the crime scene, would be provided to the defence.

Nurod appeared confused in court when asked to provide forensic evidence. He said the samples may have been destroyed. :shock: :shock: ..........................................
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Re: Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

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"He said the samples may have been destroyed."

Oh lordy lordy. He we go again. The circus is back in town. :banghead:
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Re: Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

Post by dtaai-maai »

GLCQuantum wrote:"He said the samples may have been destroyed."
Oh lordy lordy. He we go again. The circus is back in town. :banghead:
For once :wink: I agree with you.
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Re: Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

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These two Burmese guys are just patsies for a cover-up.

No evidence left.....come on. The usual rich, powerful & arrogant get away with it (or more likely their PoS offspring), same as always everytime here. Nothing new here...move along.

The first step to create an equal society is to show how all people within a country are viewed equaly in the eyes of the law. We all know what a joke that is here and that's why everything flounders at the first hurdle.

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usual suspect
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Re: Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

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I saw the tail-end of the BBC news this lunchtime..the reporter in Samui boldly stating/broadcasting that most people believe these 2 young men have been set up as scapegoats by the Thai police..& that the MiB admit that DNA evidence has somehow been 'lost' or is unavailable.
I wonder if the MiBs realise how many folk around the world are still, even now, monitoring this case..?
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British backpacker murders

Post by Deep Blue »

The DNA evidence was lost and can’t be retested and the confessions were recanted; ‘we was tortured’. :shock: :shock:

edit, mods, I see there is already a thread on this topic and I can't find delete?
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Re: Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

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Done merged into existing thread.
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Re: Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

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Here is the Burmese side of the story, something you wont read in Thai newspapers:

Koh Tao murders: Zaw Linn details police torture
Testifying in a Koh Samui court on Wednesday, Zaw Linn, one of two Burmese migrants accused of murder and rape, said that he was innocent of the charges, and that he had only signed a confession after being tortured by police.

In a lengthy dialogue, the 22-year-old from Kyauktaw, Arakan State, said he was handcuffed, had a bag placed over his head, and was beaten, before police threatened to extract his teeth with pliers if he did not admit the crimes.

Speaking to DVB on Thursday, Moe Wai of the Foundation for Education and Development, who attended the trial on 2 September, said Zaw Linn had first told the court how he had come to work on the southern Thai island of Koh Tao two years ago.

On 15 September last year, he had phoned his friend Wai Phyo, the other suspect in the murder trial, and made an appointment to go out drinking beer as the following day was his holiday, Moe Wai said.

“Along with [another Burmese friend] Maung Maung, they played guitar and purchased cigarettes from 7-Eleven,” he continued. “After that, they went for a swim and then went home to sleep.”

The following morning, the bodies of English tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on Sairee Beach. Both had been bludgeoned to death, while Miss Witheridge was also raped.

“Zaw Linn said the police came to arrest him on 1 October, some 15 days after the incident and during which time he had gone to work as usual,” the Burmese NGO worker said. “He said the police came to arrest him and six others in their room between midnight and 1am. They handcuffed him and put him in a car. The other six were taken elsewhere, while he said he was taken to a room, stripped naked, and tortured with a plastic bag over his head. He believes the translator, Ko Kamar, also beat him, perhaps under instruction from some police officers. Then they threatened to kill him.

“Asked by his lawyer where the interrogation took place, Zaw Linn said it was at the Ocean View Bungalows in Koh Tao. He said he was kept naked in the air-conditioned room and beaten, all the while with a plastic bag over his head. He said the police also threatened to pull out his teeth with pliers. He said he felt paralysed with fear. He also said he felt something shoved into his mouth, but couldn’t see what was happening.”

Later in the day’s proceedings, Moe Wai said, the Burmese suspect claimed that he was restrained while the police took a sample from his mouth.

“Zaw Linn then said he was handed a phone and made to speak to his friend, Wai Phyo, who had been arrested in Suratthani [on the Thai mainland]. Wai Phyo told him: ‘I can’t do this anymore – I’m going to die from torture’. Very scared and realising resistance would not work, at 4am, he confessed,” Moe Wai continued.

“After dawn on 2 October, Zaw Linn said, the police took his statement. He spoke only through the translator. He signed a confession and was fingerprinted. Then he was taken to jail.

Full Story: http://www.dvb.no/news/koh-tao-murders- ... nmar/56989
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Re: Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

Post by Deep Blue »

Reminds me of the Amanda Knox in crazy Italy caper - anybody can be railroaded.
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Re: Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

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Re: Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

Post by dtaai-maai »

DNA samples taken from a garden hoe believed to have been used in the murder of British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller in Thailand last year does not belong to the two men who are standing trial, a top Thai forensic expert has told the court.

The head of the Thai forensics institute, Porntip Rojanasunand, told judges on the island of Koh Samui that her team had identified DNA on a garden hoe, found bloodied near the deceased on a beach on Koh Tao island in September last year. The samples belonged to two males but there was no match with the defendants, she said.
Not surprising at all, of course. But the obvious question is who did the original tests if not the Thai forensics unit?
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Re: Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

Post by caller »

dtaai-maai wrote:Not surprising at all, of course. But the obvious question is who did the original tests if not the Thai forensics unit?
I recall possibly the same lady criticising the way the DNA tests had been handled at the time, complaining that her unit had not been called in. It doesn't take a massive leap of the imagine to guess why?
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Re: Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

Post by Frank Hovis »

dtaai-maai wrote: But the obvious question is who did the original tests if not the Thai forensics unit?
The BBC appear to have something of an answer to that question - http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34217544
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Re: Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

Post by PeteC »

I'm still optimistic there's a 50-50 chance justice will be served. I'm not convinced they did it and if judged guilty, I hope we get a detailed explanation and not just a verdict and the slam of a gavel. Pete

Judgement in Koh Tao murder case due today

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 75563.html
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Re: Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

Post by Dannie Boy »

I hope your optimism is correct Pete and that they are found not guilty, as the case for the prosecution looks weak - all that leaves is for the police to find the real murderers and I think we can guess what will happen there.
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