Norwegian Stein Dokset Tried To Buy His Way Out Of A Trial

[webfact]

Norwegian Stein Dokset tried to buy his way out of a trial

BY ANDERS HOLM NIELSEN

(Photo:Robert S. Eik – VG)

PHUKET: -- Yesterday was the first day of trial against Norwegian Stein Dokset who stands accused of murdering his ex-wife in a gruelling case that has had huge coverage in his homeland as well as in Thailand.

newsjsRungnapa “June” Ratchasombut who was found in the man’s dumpster last year at his villa on Phuket, Thailand. She had been missing since the summer of 2009 and the Norwegian was arrested for having killed her and concealing the body, Dagbladet writes.

On the first day of trial, the brother of June, Nirut Rittikul was to testify. He explained that he had been approached by Dokset who offered to pay 5 million baht to the family and also 4.3 million baht to the care of June’s three sons. The offer still stands and has neither been rejected or accepted. Nirut Rittikul also explained that he had in fact considering taking the money.

“Either way, I will not get my sister back,” he said in court.

It is however doubtful that the money is enough to prevent Dokset from being convicted. The case has high priority of the authorities.

According to Stein Dokset, an accident caused her death. In an interrogation he explained the authorities that the two had an argument, during which she fell down some stairs and died. When he discovered that she was dead he panicked and concealed the body. He had managed to hide the body for over two years until the maid noticed strange smells around the house and the police raided the villa.

Charges against Dokset are first degree homicide possession of illegal arms. Doksen plead innocent to all charges. If found guilty he risks the death penalty.

The main trials are set for three different dates. Tuesday this week, February 22 and March 8 where the defence will take the floor.

Source: http://scandasia.com...out-of-a-trial/

-- ScandAsia 2013-02-13

RELATED

Norwegian Faces Death Penalty In Thailand – Wife Found In Dumpster

http://www.thaivisa....nd-in-dumpster/

[angsta]

Now if his wife was just say a policeman and he was in fact not a farang but say perhaps the grandson of the Red Bull Billionaire founder then apparently 2 million keeps you out of jail. He went big, fair play to the lad.

Funny world.

[caykay]

Good on him.

[TheWalkingMan]

Crappy title... Here is something better...

Norwegian Stein Dokset fails in attempt to do what many have done before him

[KarenBravo]

Surely it's not the family pressing charges, it's the state that is pressing charges.

I believe the Thai legal system is based on British common law. You (in theory) cannot get murder charges dropped.

[canuckamuck]

Surely it's not the family pressing charges, it's the state that is pressing charges.

I believe the Thai legal system is based on British common law. You (in theory) cannot get murder charges dropped.

But some have found ways to make them go away. It's called sen yai and the Norwegian apparently doesn't have any.

[Valentine]

Surely it's not the family pressing charges, it's the state that is pressing charges.

I believe the Thai legal system is based on British common law. You (in theory) cannot get murder charges dropped.

But some have found ways to make them go away. It's called sen yai and the Norwegian apparently doesn't have any.

I believe in Thai law in cases where people are injured or killed you have civil & criminal liabilities with the civil side not being under police jurisdiction although as we all know they do get involved for a fee. So, even if compensation is paid to the family the prosecutor can still press ahead with the criminal charges.

[taninthai]

I was under the impression he had a few properties in the deceased name I don't think the family need the money as they will know take control Irvine land and houses he had which probably equates to more than the 9.5 million he offered them.

[JetsetBkk]

Now if his wife was just say a policeman and he was in fact not a farang but say perhaps the grandson of the Red Bull Billionaire founder then apparently 2 million keeps you out of jail. He went big, fair play to the lad.

Funny world.

...or a police Senior Sgt-Major and he was the son of the current deputy PM...

But I guess we better not mention that little episode, eh?

[webfact]

UPDATE:

Murder trial starts for Dokset

Phuket Gazette

Stein Havard Dokset was in court on Tuesday as witnesses started to give testimony in the murder trial. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- Stein Havard Dokset, the retired car dealer from Norway who confessed to accidentally killing his girlfriend and keeping her decomposing body in a trash bin in his house, was in court on Tuesday as his murder trial began.

Mr Dokset, 51, could face the death penalty under section 288 of Thai law, which stipulates 15 to 20 years or death. He also faces charges of concealing a body and the illegal possession of a firearm.

His housekeeper and the victim’s brother testified in court on Tuesday. A reporter from the Phuket Gazette was present, but was asked by the prosecutor not to reveal any testimony given, which could possibly sway the verdict.

Rungnapa Suktong, a 33-year-old mother of three who had been Mr Dokset’s girlfriend from 2003 to 2009 before splitting from him and marrying a Patong policeman, was reported missing by her family in 2010.

When Patong Police failed to find her, her family turned to the media and to the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok for help.

On February 28 last year, police raided Dokset’s luxury villa in Kata and found human remains in a plastic trash bin in a locked bathroom. DNA tests later confirmed that they were those of Ms Rungnapa.

According to Mr Dokset, the two had argued and he accidentally pushed her down some stairs, causing her death. When he realized he had killed her, he allegedly panicked and put her body in the trash bin.

When police raided his home nearly three years later, all that remained in the bin were pieces of bone and decomposed human tissue. Chalong Police investigating the case told the Gazette in May last year that the initial forensics results indicated that a skull fragment found among the remains showed signs of having been hit with a hard object.

“They had many problems in that final year because Mr Dokset found out that Ms Rungnapa had been involved in another relationship since 2008,” Lt Col Chaowalit Petchsripia of the Chalong Police told the Gazette last year.

Mr Dokset said jealousy caused the argument that led to Ms Rungnapa’s death, but police have also followed a lead that land titles may have been a motive. Ms Rungnapa was the owner of the house in which her body was found, as well as other properties that Mr Dokset collected rent from.

When he appeared in court on July 31 last year, Mr Dokset denied that he had concealed evidence of the crime. He also denied being illegally in possession of a firearm, saying that the gun police found belonged to his new girlfriend.

At the time he was arrested, Mr Dokset also faced charges, in a separate case, of defrauding a Swedish man of more than 800,000 baht.

Mr Dokset declined to comment to reporters on Tuesday. He will be back in court on February 22 when an additional six witnesses will testify.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...kset-20228.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-02-14

[kingstonkid]

can you say stupid. You mean in 2 years he could not find a way to get rid of the body or what remained.

[Baerboxer]

Surely it's not the family pressing charges, it's the state that is pressing charges.

I believe the Thai legal system is based on British common law. You (in theory) cannot get murder charges dropped.

No. Thailand has a civil law system. There is no "British common law". There is the law of England and Wales, which is common law; the law of Scotland which is a civil law sytem but with some common law; and the law of Nothern Ireland.

[NomadJoe]

This isn't a surprise. Standard practice in Thailand to buy verdicts.

[Postmaster]

Seems like a nice guy, not. Car dealer says it all. What a mess.

[Baerboxer]

Now if his wife was just say a policeman and he was in fact not a farang but say perhaps the grandson of the Red Bull Billionaire founder then apparently 2 million keeps you out of jail. He went big, fair play to the lad.

Funny world.

He is a farang. Different "laws" and rules of enforcement apply to farang. Now if he was related or connected to someone powerful, famous and/or rich we could be talking,

Yes - given the Red Bull case, under age driver death crash case last year, nightclub murder of policeman, actor shooting someone dead caught on cctv etc etc. Based on these he should be out on bail and get a 2 year community service sentence. Ah, sad its civil law not common so no need to take account of precedence.

- it certainly is a funny old world.

[wdr]

This country has no law at all.

If you have connections you will be free. No need for millions. Has been married to a Thai wife with a brother who killed a young guy openly in a restaurant.

As far I know the father pay to the criminal BIB's just 40K to regulate the case. This family call themselve "High class", really they are scumbag's - the whole family !

[LivinginKata]

A few off topic comments removed.

[kiniyow]

Looking good in his White shirt with the Grey Stripes~~

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

As long as Thailand's legal system allows a practice where a criminal suspect is freely able to buy themselves out of a criminal court case by payment to the victim's family, then a farang ought to be able to take that route just as much as the Thais that we regularly see doing so here.

Part of the problem here may be that the buyout route didn't get handled BEFORE the case landed in the court, back earlier when it was still solely in the hands of the police. That seems to be the time to pull the scam.

Edited February 14, 2013 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[sirchai]

It is however doubtful that the money is enough to prevent Dokset from being convicted. The case has high priority of the authorities.

​And it takes years to smell a already completely rotten body. Holy shit, do your time, you did the crime.

[Chupup]

As a poster said before " if he was connected " this wouild not be a problem as it has been done manny times as has been mentioned.

[HUAHIN62]

Don't know if it was an accident or not, but the properties in his wifes name explains why he hid the body. If he moved the body it would be discovered and the family would take control of the properties.

[WarProfiteer]

Wow, that guy has cajones... I thought only locals were allowed to buy their way out of legal trouble?

[LivinginKata]

More off topic posts removed - no need to discuss English/Scottish laws. This case is being prosecuted here in Thailand under Thai law..

[kimamey]

can you say stupid. You mean in 2 years he could not find a way to get rid of the body or what remained.

It does seem strange bearing in mind how little was left. Should have been easy to take a bit at a time in a bag and throw it by a roadside. There's so much rubbish in most places it wouldn't have been noticed.

I'm not sure about the headline stating he tried to buy his way out of the trial either. The article just says he offered money including some for the children. It doesn't say anything about that being to stop the trial. Bad translation or wording maybe.

If he'd known the body would be found he could have gone back to Norway. It wouldn't have stopped him being extradited as far as I know but the death penalty would have to have been dropped. Maybe that's better than prison I suppose.

[steelepulse]

>>A reporter from the Phuket Gazette was present, but was asked by the prosecutor not to reveal any testimony given, which could possibly sway the verdict.

Really? How could a report of the facts given sway a verdict? I know how the law works here, but I've never heard this line before.

[webfact]

Phuket: Dokset offers to pay compensation – reports

PHUKET: -- The brother of Rungnapa “June” Suktong, whose body was found decomposing in the home of Norwegian man Stein Havard Dokset, testified during the first day of Dokset’s murder trial on Tuesday (February 12), a Norwegian newspaper has reported.

“Nirut Rittikul explained that he had been approached by Dokset who offered to pay B5 million to the family and also B4.3 million for the care of June’s three sons,” Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet reported.

According to Dagbladet, “The offer still stands and has been neither rejected nor accepted. Nirut Rittikul also explained that he had in fact considering taking the money. ‘Either way, I will not get my sister back,’ he said in court.”

Dokset appeared in court on Tuesday looking considerably slimmer than at the time of his arrest, as evidence from the family of his dead ex-girlfriend, Ms Rungnapa, age 33, was heard.

Dokset has denied charges of murder, illegal possession of a gun (Ms Rungnapa’s) and obstructing an investigation by hiding a body and denying any knowledge of it, even though subsequent DNA tests proved that the rotting contents of the bin were the remains of Ms Rungnapa.

He was arrested on February 28 last year after a tip-off that Ms Rungnapa’s body was stashed in his house. She had not been seen for the best part of three years.

Dokset denies killing her, saying that she died during an argument with him, when he pushed her and her head hit a wall.

The prosecution testimony will continue next Friday (February 22) and on March 8 the defence will begin presenting its case.

Source: http://www.thephuket...ports-37076.php

-- The Phuket News 2013-02-14

[ppmacready]

Wow, that guy has cajones... I thought only locals were allowed to buy their way out of legal trouble?

An acquittance of mine killed a lady drunk driving.

He paid 1million baht and wasn't not charged.

T.I.T

[sydneyjed]

As long as Thailand's legal system allows a practice where a criminal suspect is freely able to buy themselves out of a criminal court case by payment to the victim's family, then a farang ought to be able to take that route just as much as the Thais that we regularly see doing so here.

Part of the problem here may be that the buyout route didn't get handled BEFORE the case landed in the court, back earlier when it was still solely in the hands of the police. That seems to be the time to pull the scam.

And that's the tip apparently...exactly what a mate of mine was 'quietly' told by the nice BiB man when given a choice back in 2010..Once the charge sheet is processed it's often too late by then..or ends up costing more to feed the rest in the gravy train..Not So Amazing Thailand but certainly not surprising!!!

Edited February 14, 2013 by sydneyjed

[LivinginKata]

off topic post removed - let's not wander off discussing another case.