The Colombian doctor’s family is “very satisfied”

The victim’s family is “very satisfied” with the sentence, according to Spanish lawyer Juango Ospina. Early in the morning of this Thursday, August 29, 2024, peninsular time, Daniel Sancho has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Edwin Arrieta. The sentence, against which the Spaniard’s defence is preparing to appeal, does not bring about the end of one of the most publicised and notorious crimes of recent years. Now the lawyers of Rodolfo Sancho’s son have to appeal, for which they have one month. That month, presumably, Daniel Sancho will spend in the same prison where he is currently, the same one he was sent to eleven months ago after being accused of the murder for which he was convicted.

Sources in the case explain that, although Daniel has been spared the death penalty, the sentence “has always been in the high range” and they add that The Spanish defense strategy “has not been successful.” Daniel Sancho was accused of hiding and dismembering the body of Colombian surgeon Edwin Arrieta and of premeditatedly murdering the doctor on August 2, 2023 on the Thai island of Koh Phangan.

Three days later, he confessed to the crime. In November, he pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder, admitting only to hiding and destroying the body. He has been in pretrial detention since August 7 last year. The Thai prosecution had asked for the death penalty and maintains that Sancho planned the murder. The young man’s defense argues that the surgeon’s death was due to an accident during a fight.

This Thursday, 388 days after his imprisonment, Daniel Sancho was sentenced to life imprisonment. In addition, Daniel Sancho will have to pay compensation of 106,000 euros to Arrieta’s family. The sentence in the case also states that Daniel Sancho will have to compensate Edwin Arrieta’s family with that amount for the doctor’s murder.

It’s official. Daniel Sancho has been sentenced to life imprisonment on August 29, 2024 for the murder of Colombian surgeon Edwin Arrieta. A sentence that was written by the judge of the case on August 22 and was announced this same day in the Court of the Provincial Court of Koh Samui.