The court set the date after hearing Zaw Lin, one of the defendants, testify in his own defence.
Zaw Lin is charged, along with Win Zaw Htun, with the murder of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, on Sept 15, 2014 at Sai Ree beach on the resort island in Koh Pha Ngan district.
The court gave the prosecution and the defence 15 days to submit their closing statements, by Oct 26, and said it would pass judgement on Dec 24.
In his testimony yesterday (Oct 11), Zaw Lin was asked in cross-examination by the prosecutor on how he gained possession of Miller’s cell phone. The defendant said he picked it up from the beach near a restaurant. He also replied to many other questions.
The mothers of the two Myanmar defendants were at the court and said they hoped their sons would be treated justly. They believed their sons had been tortured into confessing to the murder of the British tourists.
They said they would be at the court on Dec 24 to hear the ruling.
Defence counsel Nakhon Chomphuchart said the seven defence lawyers had done their best to present evidence to fight the case. The result of the efforts would be known on Dec 24.
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