Koh Tao verdict set for Dec 24 as accused vow innocence

The Koh Samui Provincial Court has set Dec 24 as the date to deliver its judgement on two Myanmar men accused of murdering two British tourists on Koh Tao on Sept 15 last year.

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Pair vow innocence as trial ends

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SURAT THANI: The Koh Samui Provincial Court has set Dec 24 as the date to deliver its judgement on two Myanmar men accused of murdering two British tourists on Koh Tao on Sept 15 last year.

The court set the date after hearing Win Zaw Htun, one of the defendants, testify in his own defence on Sunday night.

Win Zaw Htun is charged, along with Zaw Lin, with the murder of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, on Sept 15, 2014, at Sai Ree beach on the resort island in Koh Phangan district. Zaw Lin gave his last testimony to defend himself to the court on Saturday. The prosecution and the defence now have 15 days until Oct 26 to submit their closing statements.

The court will give its ruling on Dec 24. The two suspects reiterated at the trial their claim that they had been assaulted by police and forced to confess.

The confessions were later retracted once Win Zaw Htun and Zaw Lin were granted access to lawyers. Win Zaw Htun testified on Sunday that he was beaten by police and forced to strip and sit naked in a cold air-conditioned room for two hours.

In the cross-examination, the prosecutor asked Win Zaw Htun how he gained possession of Miller's mobile phone. The defendant said he picked it up from the beach near a restaurant. He later realised the phone might be related to the murders, so he destroyed it and left it.

The mothers of the two Myanmar defendants were at the court and said they hoped their sons would be treated justly. They believed their sons had been tortured into confessing to the tourists' murders. They said they would be at the court on Dec 24 to hear the ruling.

Defence counsel Nakhon Chomphuchart said the seven defence lawyers had done their best to present evidence to fight the case. If convicted, the men could be sentenced to death.

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