Prosecutors have indicted a Thai couple on a number of charges related to the murder of 79-year-old Japanese-language teacher Yoshinori Shimato whose body parts were thrown into a canal in Samut Prakan.
Prosecutors found enough evidence and witnesses to indict Somchai Kaewbangyang and his partner Pornchanok Chaiyapa, both 47. They reportedly stabbed and smothered Shimato to death, chopped up his body and threw the pieces into the canal in September this year. Shimato was Mrs Pornchanok’s husband.
After the killing, the pair allegedly stole his belongings worth a combined 415,000 baht and used his ATM cards to withdraw 520,000 baht from his accounts, according to the prosecutors' summary.
They were indicted on charges of premeditated murder, concealing and destroying a body to cover up a murder, unlawful detention, theft and electronic card fraud. They were also accused of destroying evidence for cutting up his body and dumping the parts in the canal.
The court set Jan 5 for a plea hearing.
Mr Somchai has been detained at Bangkok Remand Prison while Mrs Pornchanok, dubbed a "black widow" by some local media, has been jailed at the Central Women's Correctional Institute since their arrests in October.