Judge orders arrest of missing trial witness

PHUKET: Judge Amornpoj Kulwijit today issued warrants for the arrest of two prosecution witnesses who failed to appear this morning for a hearing in the ongoing trial of two people accused of the murder of Briton Roger Jennings. The two witnesses, Amara Meanteap and Weeranat Kammanochart, failed to appear despite twice being subpoenaed. The judge, issuing the arrest warrants, ordered them to be brought before the court at the next hearing, scheduled for next Tuesday, August 31. He also requested that the Kathu Police Superintendent, Pol Col Kokiat Wongvarachart, attend the hearing to give testimony on the presentation of subpoenas to the two witnesses. Weeranat, who was a cashier at the Alice Bar in Patong, owned by Mr Jennings, has already testified once, for the prosecution. He was due to appear again today for questioning by the defense. Amara’s appearance in the hearing would have been her first. Mr Jennings died after being stabbed 19 times in his Patong home on December 15, 1997. On trial for the murder are his common-law wife, Nongnut Tungkaburi, and Kraisorn Kamnoun.