Two Indian men formally charged with raping a German woman at Ko Phangan’s Full Moon Party; one admits it, the other denies. Both face 4-20 years in prison. Court proceedings are underway as police still gather key evidence and witness testimony.
Police on Ko Phangan are to hand over two Indian men, formally charged with the rape of a German woman, to the Ko Samui Provincial Court. The duo were formally charged on Saturday, with one of the men admitting to the charge while the other claims the German victim resisted. The two men face between 4 to 20 years imprisonment if convicted by the Criminal Court. The sexual assault and rape of the woman took place at Haad Rin Beach in the early hours of Friday morning. The German tourist had been on the island for the Ko Phangan Full Moon Party and had become quite drunk.
Ko Phangan police on Sunday announced the arrest of two Indian men who were formally charged with the rape of a German woman in the early hours of Friday morning.
The 24-year-old German, staying at a hotel on Bophut, Ko Samui, made the report at Haad Rin Police Station following Ko Phangan’s famous Full Moon Party.
The rape of the woman took place at 4:50 am on March 14 near boulders at the end of the beach.
Despite being quite inebriated, the German woman, reportedly from Munich, still reported the rape at 5:40 am.
Police took the report seriously and gathered CCTV and witness evidence leading to swift arrests
Police took her report seriously and quickly obtained CCTV footage from the area. They also gathered valuable witness evidence.
As a result, two Indian men were arrested on Friday, following CCTV evidence and witness statements. They were identified as 47-year-old Vijay Dadasaheb and 40-year-old Rahul Balasaheb.
Both men denied the charges initially, claiming they could not recall the events. However, police were confident in their case. It was based on CCTV footage which showed the Indians leaving the area just after the rape.
Further reports suggest that during interrogation on Friday, Mr. Dadasaheb was reserved about addressing the question of raping the woman, while Mr. Balasaheb insisted he only kissed and hugged her on the cheek.
One suspect claims the encounter was consensual, but both men certainly face a criminal charge of rape
In short, he claimed the encounter was consensual. However, under criminal law provisions, this may not absolve him of responsibility, potentially implicating both men in the crime.
Ultimately, it will be up to a Thai court to decide the matter.
On Sunday, Police Colonel Apichart Chansamret expressed satisfaction with the police work on the case. At that time, police were compiling extensive forensic reports from samples taken from the victim and the two suspects.
Additionally, police conducted a thorough examination of the location where the sexual assault and rape occurred.
Men are held in custody after formal charges as police continue gathering forensic evidence against them
The men were arrested in Ko Phangan town centre at a bungalow resort. The pair were taken in for questioning on Friday at 8:20 pm.
They were subsequently released before being formally charged again on Saturday.
They will now remain in the custody of Ko Samui Provincial Court pending their trial.
The German woman, identified only as Ms. Sarah, will be staying in Ko Samui for another two weeks.
Meanwhile, police have seized clothing and personal belongings linked to the two men, including shorts, pants, and sneakers. They also confiscated a motorbike used by the two Indian tourists as evidence.
Court proceedings underway as suspects face serious charges and potential lengthy imprisonment
The two Indian men were formally arrested under court order at 8:30 pm on Saturday, March 15th. After that, the older suspect came clean and pleaded guilty to the charge.
The men are charged with “jointly committing rape by using force against a person unable to resist.” They face a prison term of between 4 to 20 years depending on the court’s judgment.
Police arrest Two Indian men after sexual assault and rape allegations are made by a young German woman
Meanwhile, officers handling the case are reaching out to Ms. Sarah to obtain her testimony for court proceedings. They are also awaiting forensic and DNA evidence.
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