the three possible scenarios you are facing

Less than 24 hours to know the outcome of the case that most shocked Spain last year. This Thursday, August 29, the sentence that will determine whether Daniel Sancho (30 years old) is guilty of the premeditated murder of the Colombian surgeon Edwin Arrieta.

THE judgement against Daniel Sancho comes just over a year after the alleged crime was committed on the Thai resort island of PhanganAn event that dominated coverage and television programming for months, particularly during the four weeks of the trial.

Faced with the impending resolution, Rodolfo Sancho’s son said he felt “prepared for the best and the worst“. In exclusive statements to EFE from Samui prison, the cook said he was convinced that the judge would rule out that Arrieta’s death was due to premeditated murder.

In a few hours, Sancho will know if his theory is confirmed. The judge in charge of the case, whose identity has not been revealed, will pronounce the sentence at a hearing convened at 10 am, thai time (05:00 Spanish time). A procedure that could last up to three hours, according to sources close to the case explained to EFE.

He access will be restricted and it will be the judge who will decide at the last moment who will be able to attend the reading of the judgment. However, in principle, Sancho himself and his parents, the Spanish actor Rodolfo Sancho and the investment analyst Silvia Bronchalo, the defense lawyer, the prosecutor and the staff of the Spanish embassy will be present.

The three possible scenarios for Sancho’s conviction

Daniel Sancho is accused of premeditated murder, concealment of the body and destruction of other people’s documentsThe Spaniard pleaded guilty only to the second charge. He initially confessed to the murder to Phangan police, but later changed his testimony, claiming the confession had been obtained in exchange for a “false” deportation order.

The punishment that will be inflicted on Sancho will depend on if it is proven that Arrieta’s murder was premeditatedas the prosecution and the prosecution claim, or it was due to an accident that occurred during a fight in which the accused defended himself against an alleged attempted sexual assault, as his defense maintains.

Thus, three possible scenarios are proposed. On the one hand, if the judge considers that it was a premeditated murderSancho could face the death penaltyas provided for in the Thai penal code. However, the country generally reduces the penalties and barely enforces them. In addition, the leader could ask the King of Thailand for clemency to commute the death sentence to life sentence.

A second possible scenario is that the cook is ultimately charged with voluntary homicidethat is, Sancho had the knowledge and will that, with the acts performed, he could end Arrieta’s life. In this case, you could face prison sentences ranging from 15 to 20 years.

The most favourable scenario for Sancho would be the one supported by his defence: reckless homicide. In other words, the cook caused Arrieta’s death without premeditation. In this case, he would be sentenced to a prison term of up to 3 to 15 years in prison.

Of the three accusations brought against Sancho, the Spaniard only accepted the concealment of the body due to the dismemberment of Arrieta. A crime punishable by up to one year in prison. Regarding the destruction of other people’s documents, which he is also accused of, Thai law provides for a prison sentence of up to six years.

Appeals and compensation

When the sentence is read, a period of one month will be set for the parties to proceed calls. Appeals are filed in writing with the Samui court without witnesses or appearances, so Sancho will no longer have to appear. The process can take about a year.

As part of the judgment, the sentence will include the compensation that the defendant must pay to the victim’s family. At trial, the Arrietas’ Thai lawyers presented a request for 30 million bats (approximately 790.000 euros), a very high amount for Thailand that the judge could adjust.