Thai woman acquitted of murder rap

A Thai woman convicted last year of colluding to conceal the body of a 79-year-old Japanese companion, killed by her Thai husband in 2014, has been acquitted of involvement in the murder of another Japanese man back in 2003.

In January last year, the Appeal Court upheld a 20-year jail sentence handed down against Pornchanok Chaiyapa, 51, for helping her husband, Somchai Kaewbangyang, conceal the body of Yoshinori Shimato, a Japanese language teacher, and stealing money from him.

Somchai, who admitted guilt to premeditated murder, was sentenced to life by the Court of First Instance.

Shimato’s dismembered body was found dumped in Klong Nang Thing in Bang Bo district in Samut Prakan on Oct 13, 2014.

The case prompted a re-investigation into the death of Pornchanok’s former Japanese husband, Kasitosi Tanaka, who police originally concluded died after falling down some stairs in 2003. The case was treated as an accident.

After Tanaka died, Pornchanok received more than three million baht from her husband’s life insurance.

The re-investigation came after Tanaka’s daughter, Keiko Matta, who suspected he could have been murdered, went to Bang Phli police in Samut Prakan in October, 2014 to ask officers to re-open the case.

During the investigation, Somchai confessed to also murdering the Japanese businessman, while Pornchanok denied all charges in connection with the Tanaka case.

According to the lower court’s ruling yesterday, Somchai admitted murdering Tanaka out of jealousy. The evidence was strong enough to believe that he was the sole murderer.

The court initially sentenced Somchai to life in prison for the killing, but the sentence was later commuted to 33 years and four months due to his confession.

According to the court, prosecutors could not find witnesses or evidence linking Pornchanok to the killing. There was no evidence suggesting Pornchanok was aware that her then Japanese husband had life insurance which may have motivated her to take his life in the hope of getting the insurance money, the court said.

Pornchanok had asked several people not to reveal that Somchai was in the house at the time of Tanaka’s death. However, the court said since this happened some time after Tanaka’s death there was no evidence proving Pornchanok had a motive to kill him.

The court acquitted Pornchanok of conspiring to commit premeditated murder.