Thai Supreme Court acquits six policemen in killing of teen

[webfact]

Supreme Court acquits six policemen in killing of teen

By THE NATION

 

 

THE SUPREME Court has given the benefit of the doubt to all six policemen who had been convicted of killing a 17-year-old suspect during the government’s war on drugs in 2004, reversing the rulings of two lower courts.
 

Their acquittal left the victim’s family stunned. 

 

The court of first stance had convicted four defendants of collusion in the killing, one defendant for abusing his authority, and acquitted the other. 

 

The Appeal Court convicted four defendants of colluding to kill, and two others of abusing their authority. 

 

“I am speechless,” the victim’s aunt, Pikul Promchan, said upon hearing the verdict from the Supreme Court yesterday.

 

Relatives of the defendants, meanwhile, shed tears of joy. 

 

“There is just one witness in the case and many parts of her testimony are unreliable and raise suspicion,” the highest court said. 

 

‘Defendants maintained innocence’

 

The court also took into account the fact that all the six defendants had always maintained their innocence. 

 

The defendants worked at the Muang Kalasin Police Station at the time Kiatisak Titboonkrong, a 17-year-old suspected thief, was found dead in a hut in a remote corner of Kalasin province. His relatives insisted they had last seen him at the station. 

 

While police said they had already released Kiatisak to freedom prior to his death, his relatives said the teenager had phoned them for help from the station and voiced fear that police were going to kill him. 

 

In 2004, the Thaksin Shinawatra-led government declared a war on drugs. Critics said the declaration had led to the deaths of many innocents, while several policemen have attributed the killings to drug traffickers silencing witnesses. In Kalasin province alone, more than 10 people died in suspicious circumstances in 2004. 

 

Six policemen from Muang Kalasin Police Station were brought before the court for their alleged role in Kiatisak’s death. They were Pol senior sergeants-major Angkharn Kammoonna, Suttinan Nonting and Pannasilp Uppana, police lieutenants-colonel Sampai Indee and Sumit Nansathit, and Pol Colonel Montri Sriboonleu.

 

The junior police defendants had been in detention during the court trial, while the senior ones were out on bail.

 

All of them except Montri attended the Supreme Court’s verdict-reading session yesterday. His guarantor’s Bt1-million bond will be seized. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30356287

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-10-12

[thaiguzzi]

Who'da thunk it?

[petermik]

Justice............

[usacb500biker]

14  Years Later, Thai courts......Justice for the Police.....

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

All of them except Montri attended the Supreme Court’s verdict-reading session yesterday. His guarantor’s Bt1-million bond will be seized. 

Montri was also acquitted. Why didn't he attend and get the bail bond back...

 

I am in no way saying that this could be a covered payment to the court for a positive verdict, instead I sincerely believe that Montri's alarm clock had a malfunction, and my faith in the Justice System is neither shaken, nor stirred but remains the same as it always was: confirmed.

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, usacb500biker said:

14  Years Later, Thai courts......Justice for the Police.....

In all fairness, justice back in the UK gives life sentence at less sometimes even if you are guilty of a most deplorable act! 

[worgeordie]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The court also took into account the fact that all the six defendants had always maintained their innocence.

Thats taken into account ?, 

regards worgeordie

[Jonnapat]

Sound familiar elsewhere?

[from the home of CC]

Bad as it was here, Duerte is making Thaksin seem like Gandhi. 

[300sd]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The court also took into account the fact that all the six defendants had always maintained their innocence. 

Of course this would be the clincher for the top court. Everyone knows police don't lie.

[zzaa09]

7 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

Who'da thunk it?

To be expected.

Why even bother going through the motions.

[Redline]

Back to their do nothing active posts

Edited October 12, 2018 by Redline

[Pedrogaz]

What can one say.....totally scandalous deciision.

[MyFriend You]

10 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Thats taken into account ?, 

regards worgeordie

Maybe they the court thinks they would have pleased guilty to get half a sentence - since they didn't, they must be innocent??    Ooooh, now I see, I have been in Thailand too long, I'm starting to think like them.

[WonnabeBiker]

The length this has taken renders the verdict unfair, no matter what actually happened back then.

 

There have been torture and murder cases in Egypt, one involving an Italian academic. Italian Police used mobile phone data and surprise! Cops were at the site the body was dumped ????

 

If Thailand wants to change for the better, there must be a strict policy of terminating bent coppers. No "inactive posts" and no pensions. - And bring in a lawyer or adulat guarding when interrogating a minor!!!

[chama]

On 10/12/2018 at 7:24 AM, zzaa09 said:

To be expected.

Why even bother going through the motions.

Because the motions dictate the size of the payments...

[metisdead]

Some off topic posts and the replies have been removed.