1 Name: RUMOR113 : 2015-07-11 10:34 ID:Q0QmWP8C (Image: 980x552 jpg, 110 kb) [Del]
Myanmar nationals Win Zaw Tun and Zaw Lin look out from a prison transport van as they arrive at court for the start of their trial on the Thai resort island of Koh Samui on July 8, 2015.
The trial of two 22-year-old Burmese migrants accused of the murder of two British tourists on a Thai resort island last year, opened Wednesday in Koh Samui amid accusations of evidence mishandling, witness intimidation and possible coerced confessions.
The bodies of two young Britons, Hannah Witheridge -- who was also raped, according to police reports -- and David Miller, were discovered early on September 15 on a beach on Koh Tao, a small island in the Gulf of Thailand. They were partially undressed and had sustained severe injuries to their heads.
The Burmese pair, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo -- also known as Win Zaw Htun -- who were working in the hospitality industry on the island, were arrested around two weeks after the crimes committed and originally confessed, only to later recant, saying that their admissions of guilt were made under duress. The two could face the death penalty if found guilty.
Thai police say that forensic evidence, including DNA samples from cigarette butts found near the bodies, tie the men to the scene.
Police Commissioner Gen. Somyot Poompanmuang previously told CNN that DNA in semen taken from Witheridge matched samples taken from the two men.
"The DNA matching result is out already and they matched with DNA found on the female victim," he said, adding that the men admitted to raping Witheridge.
The parents of the two victims will attend the start of the trial, court officials said.
