‘Preaw’ admits to being lone killer
TWENTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD Priyanuch “Preaw” Nonwangchai has told Khon Kaen Court that she was the only one who killed Warisara Klinjui, 22, whose body was dismembered and found buried in a forest area in Khon Kaen’s Khao Suan Kwang district in May.
Priyanuch made the admission during a hearing of defence witnesses on Wednesday afternoon, with the final hearings scheduled for yesterday in which three codefendants, Kawita Rachada, 26, Apiwan Satayabundit, 28, and Wasin Namprom, 22, were also to take the stand.
The four defendants face charges of premeditated murder, destroying and hiding a body, theft, illegal detention and carrying knives in a public place.
Priyanuch’s admission in court echoed her previous account given to national police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda after she, Kawita and Apiwan were brought back from Myanmar, where they had fled after the murder.
Defence lawyer Boonyong Kaewfainok quoted Priyanuch as telling the court that the women were driving a rented car when they encountered Warisara outside a convenient store. She joined them to “talk about an overdue debt”, which led to an argument and a physical fight that escalated into Priyanuch killing Warisara after she challenged her to sue her in court to collect the debt, according to the suspect’s account.
The dismemberment was carried out by Priyanuch, Kawita, Apiwan and Wasin, the lawyer said, while only Priyanuch, Apiwan and Wasin had buried the remains because Kawita was vomiting and waited in the car. After the burial, they fled in separate directions, he said.
Boonyong said his team had presented evidence to prove that Warisara’s killing did not constitute premeditated murder but instead was manslaughter, based on the definition of killing a person without the intention to do so. He added that defendants had bought the materials and equipment to dismember and conceal the body after Warisara was already dead, which indicated a lack of premeditation.
Boonyong said four defendants had admitted to charges of concealing the body, while the fifth defendant, Jidarat Phromkhun, 21, claimed she was not involved in the act and pled guilty to receiving stolen items at the first court session on February 20.
Jidarat also testified on Wednesday as she remains as a defendant until the final ruling for all the defendants given allegations of a criminal conspiracy.
Jidarat’s lawyer Thananchai Wongsai quoted Jidarat as reaffirming her confession and saying that Priyanuch and Wasin had fled to see her in Bangkok and to borrow her ID card to sell Warisara’s cell phone before they split the cash and separated. Jidarat, who had been working in job in Ubon Ratchathani, surrendered to police during the investigation.
Boonyong said the Bt10.3-million compensation demanded by Warisara’s family in a civil lawsuit was excessive, but the issue would be decided in that trial.