Thailand’s Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentence for Spaniard

Thailand’s Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence for Spanish national Artur Segarra Princep, for the premeditated murder.  Princep murdered Spanish compatriot David Bernat, 41, in 2016.

The Spaniard was taken from Bang Kwang Central Prison to hear the ruling at the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday. He greeted several Spanish journalists waiting there as he entered the court building.

Princep was found guilty of offences including premeditated murder, concealing a body, illegal detention and theft.

Public prosecutors told the court that human parts were found in three different locations on Jan 30, 2016. They were later proved to be from the victim, David Bernat.

Ruling on DNA and Circumstantial Evidence

The court’s death sentence was based its ruling on circumstantial evidence, surveillance camera recordings and also testimony from witnesses. Testimony was heard from a maid and a girlfriend of Princep, and DNA samples of Princep and the victim collected from a freezer and an electric grinder.

The court found that Princep took his business friend Bernat to a Condominium in Bangkok on Jan 19, 2016. There, he murdered him and also froze the body. He later dismembered the body with ta grinder and then dropped bags containing body parts into the Chao Phraya River at several locations.

Princep then fled and was arrested in SCambodia on Feb 7, 2016 and extradited back to Thailand. He was held in custody without bail and has always denied all charges, the Bangkok Post reported.

In addition to the death sentence, he was ordered to repay 734,940 baht to Bernat’s family in restitution. Money he withdrew using the victim’s cash card.

Princep’s lawyer said on Wednesday his client would also exercise his right to seek a pardon.  Upon receiving a pardon he would serve out his sentence in a Spanish prison.