KHON KAEN: The provincial court yesterday sentenced four defendants in a karaoke girl murder trial to 23-34 years in jail and ordered them to jointly pay 1.17 million baht in compensation to the victims over a period of 17 years.
Preeyanuch or "Preaw" Nonwangchai, 25, and Kawita or "Earn" Rachada, 26, were given 34 years and six months in prison. Apiwan Sattayabundit, 29, faces 33 years and nine months and Wasin Namprom, 22, was jailed for 23 years, four months and 22 days.
The three female defendants were taken from the Khon Kaen Central Prison to the court. The four have been kept in custody since their arrest.
Before the court's ruling, Preeyanuch's mother Sakhon Phasee, who waited for her daughter at the prison, also followed her to the court to provide moral support.
The fifth defendant, Jidarat Promkhun, 22, who had been out on bail, was sentenced to a one-year term for receiving the victim's phone to sell.
All except Jidarat were ordered to pay 1.17 million baht to support the family of the victim, Warisara or "Am" Klinjui, 22, and 100,000 baht for her funeral.
The compensation is to be paid in monthly installments of 5,000 baht over a period of 17 years, plus 7.5% interest from May 23, 2017, the day of the murder.
All were acquitted of colluding in premeditated murder and possession of knives in public places.
Preeyanuch and Kawita were initially given life imprisonment for colluding to commit a murder, illegal disposal of a corpse and robbery, but their punishment was commuted because they cooperated with the court.
Apiwan was found guilty of colluding to commit a murder, disposing of a corpse and methamphetamine use, while Wasin was found guilty of assisting in the murder, destroying the corpse and colluding to commit a robbery.
Warisara's body was found in a shallow grave in Khon Kaen on May 26 of last year.
Kawita, Apiwan and Wasin told the court earlier they only helped Preeyanuch cut up the body before burying it in a rough grave in Khon Kaen's Khao Suan Kwang district.
Preeyanuch claimed she "accidentally covered Warisara's nose with her hand" and that she had intended only to gag the victim.
According to some defendants' testimonies, the suspects assaulted Warisara before Preeyanuch used a black plastic bag she bought at a convenience store in Khon Kaen to strangle the victim to death in a car.
According to police, Preeyanuch wanted to "teach Warisara a lesson" after the victim gave police information which led to the arrest of the suspect's husband for drug offences.
Also, Preeyanuch's sister told officers earlier that the gang only planned to "attack Warisara in revenge for snitching to the police".
Jidarat, a friend of the other convicts, was in Bangkok at the time of the murder and was charged with receiving stolen property for sale, namely the victim's mobile phone.
All parties have 30 days to file appeals, the court said yesterday.
A lawyer representing the family of the deceased woman said they will appeal the court's ruling in hope of harsher punishment.