Charges against Thai police in Saudi murder trial dismissed

[Pimay1]

Court dismisses Saudi businessman's murder case

By Digital Content

BANGKOK, March 31 – The Criminal Court today acquitted charges against five Thai police officers in connection with the illegal detention and premeditated murder of a Saudi businessman 24 years ago.

Pol Lt Gen Somkid Boonthanom and four police officers allegedly took Mohammad al-Ruwali to a Bangkok hotel for questioning after which he was killed.

The court said additional evidence including a ring, which was claimed to belong to Mr al-Ruwali, was insufficient and vague.

The ring was supplied by investigative officers to support the murder charges.

Mr al-Ruwali’s death has severely affected Thai-Saudi relations after the Middle Eastern country downgraded ties with Thailand and they have never been restored ever since.

The court said witnesses and evidence for the case must be clear since the suspects could face the death sentence if found guilty.

Mr al-Ruwali was involved in the job placement business between Saudi Arabia and Thailand before his disappearance in February 1990.

The Department of Special Investigation revived the case 2009 and indicted the five suspects in court only a month before the case was due to expire.

Saudi Arabia has suspected that Thai police were involved in the 1990 disappearance of businessman Mohammad al-Ruwaili and the murders of four members of Saudi Arabia's diplomatic staff in Bangkok.

The Saudi government believes that the murders were linked to the theft of US$2 million worth of jewels from the palace of a prince in Riyadh, many of which were never recovered. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-03-31

Who's the dude in the cape?

He might turn out to be one of Thailand's worst nightmares. If the Saudis think they have been wronged, they don't just get mad, they get even.

[patayayaya]

happy smiling laughing One minute , next minute there stuffing you in the boot taking your jewels. This is when a Thai shows his true colors.

[patayayaya]

,

Edited March 31, 2014 by patayayaya

[NongKhaiKid]

Yeah I fear there may be some severe repercussions down the line...sad day for both countries

In the Islamic world in general and the Arabic world in particular the Saudis have a very powerful voice so Thailand could face a backlash from many quarters,

Imagine the effect on an already failing economy if the Saudis' friends weigh in by, for example, cutting back on / cancelling work visas for Thais ?

[mrtoad]

Yeah I fear there may be some severe repercussions down the line...sad day for both countries

In the Islamic world in general and the Arabic world in particular the Saudis have a very powerful voice so Thailand could face a backlash from many quarters,

Imagine the effect on an already failing economy if the Saudis' friends weigh in by, for example, cutting back on / cancelling work visas for Thais ?

They already did that, with the WP's, but they could certainly put more pressure on Thailand if they wished.

This is IMO another slap in the face to the Saudis.

[steveromagnino]

Can anyone explain why these police officers had to come from their precincts on the Burmese and Lao borders to Bangkok to commit these murders? Weren't there enough police officers in Bangkok to do the job? Wasn't there enough work for that officer in Sob Moei, directly opposite one of Myanmar's most lawless regions, where drug and human trafficking is rife?

It's been a while since I had a discussion with anyone about the case, but from memory, the police were brought in to 'take the people of interest and shake them down' meaning take them out into the countryside, get them to talk, and then dispose of them. More difficult to do for someone without the stones to ruthlessly execute someone and without the knowledge of how to make them disappear if needed.

The connected parties at the time also linked back to several rural political clans, who were the ones at the top who supposedly either, depending on who you listen to, orchestrated finding the gems, orchestrated making fakes and distributing the real ones to their friends and/or orchestrated shutting up the trail of witnesses who could point fingers at them.

Supposedly the blue diamond was seen with Chavalit's wife (when he was commander in chief of the army) although she and all the other wives at various times claimed later they were wearing a fake; certainly at the time it can be assumed that Chavalit, as Commander in Chief then DPM and then chief of police Pramarn Adirekson probably knew what was going on, and instead of investigating, chose to shut down any real conversation about it; one family suffered for it the other bloke went on to lead Thailand into the currency crash of 1997/98. Red shirt propaganda now states it was to protect certain individuals (most of us have heard the same names that the red shirts like to whisper about regarding every topic), but that seems highly doubtful, rather it was because some of those responsible for the coverup have spent much of the last 12 years in power, and it was those very people who have ensured no real investigation. The same group are in power for the last 18 months, and currently mostly control the DSI.

The real consequence is 200,000 jobs denied to Isaan by the very people who have claimed to have support that region - note that it was the post coup PPP govt then the Aphisit govt that attempted to investigate, unsuccessfully, what actually happened - very very hard and no doubt the gem is long cut up into lots of pieces or sitting in someone's private collection.

Edited March 31, 2014 by steveromagnino

[skorchio]

Hey all you lot spewing forth about injustice corruption etc. Do you think any white boy or Thai will be treated in any other way by the judicial system in Saudi Arabia? You are guilty over there before you didn't do it, cos you aint wearing a towel. Saudis have no right to expect justice anywhere in the world, why defend them?

[Lupatria]

The Court said the charges were dismissed because the public prosecutors' evidences was weak and failed to convince the court that the officers had been involved in the murder and kidnapping.

At the same time they charge their own politicians, I'm not taking any side here- for "murder" even though none of them pulled the trigger in person or was at the scene.

Other people, like the guy who shot his family of three driven by pure greed is out on bail while the relatives are waiting for the life insurance money from his dad.

And the guy who hit the cow rapist on his head gets charged for manslaughter- not murder.

I believe more in the virginity of a bar girl than in Thai "jurisdiction".

Please spare me any of the usual reply posts like: That happens in other countries too, as it is not considered to be an acceptable excuse.

[Lupatria]

Hey all you lot spewing forth about injustice corruption etc. Do you think any white boy or Thai will be treated in any other way by the judicial system in Saudi Arabia? You are guilty over there before you didn't do it, cos you aint wearing a towel. Saudis have no right to expect justice anywhere in the world, why defend them?

So if Saudis have no right to expect justice, who has?

Is that your understanding of justice selecting people who have the right and those who (in your humble opinion) don't?

Ever heard of the principle: without distinction of person...?

[DLock]

"The case was renewed by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) during the Yingluck government with intent to restore diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia."

Well...that "intent to restore diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia" went about as well as the rice pledging scheme.

Yingluck, do you ever feel like everything you touch turns to $hit?

Fail.

[Bpuumike]

Well , like the old story of the boy who called wolf, the problem is can you believe anything of this , the Thai's have been caught out so many times , frankly , is it just another white wash ,dishonesty , corruption , intimidation are rife with in the Police Department, can it be possible that it takes twenty four years to reach a verdict , it all smells of a cover up and you are dealing with the Thai police, say no more.

I understand it goes far above the BIB.

[Cricketnut]

This is the clearest version of the incidents as far as I can see... kind of keeps the perspective on the events surrounding this whole mess..The Nation kind of lumps them all in the same basket... but who knows I am sure there were a lot more "unknown" deaths in all of it...at any rate sad day for both countries..

http://asiancorrespondent.com/50038/wikileaks-cable-the-curse-of-the-blue-diamond/

They should call Thailand the " Garden State" there is so much fertilizer in the country!

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[marcusd]

No more Arabs to replace the soon to be missing Russians now that the Ruble is 25% less than the Baht when a few weeks ago it had parity (or near enough) Russians are NOT that wealthy you know.

The Saudis have already stated as I read here

We will wait for the outcome to see if we normalise relations.

Now Thailand can see who plays harder

[Crushdepth]

Kiss your improved diplomatic relations goodbye.

Sent from somewhere in the Pacific

[ZigZagMan]

Ask any taxi driver where that blue diamond is.

Same person behind the political problems.

[Tanlic]

Yeah I fear there may be some severe repercussions down the line...sad day for both countries

In the Islamic world in general and the Arabic world in particular the Saudis have a very powerful voice so Thailand could face a backlash from many quarters,

Imagine the effect on an already failing economy if the Saudis' friends weigh in by, for example, cutting back on / cancelling work visas for Thais ?

Then covering up murder to save the backsides of 5 people, policemen or not, makes absolutely no sense.

Why not plant evidence jail them and keep the Saudis happy if the legal system here is so corrupt?

Looks like the Saudi's made their minds up already they were guilty and only these 5 being found guilty would have made them happy.

The courts refused to try them through lack of evidence and the Saudis as rich as they are couldn't pay someone here in Thailand to find that evidence?

Could it be it never existed in the first place because they never did it?

Edited March 31, 2014 by Tanlic

[jayjayjayjay]

Thai's had better upgrade their non-fossil fuel power needs.

[Tanlic]

Ask any taxi driver where that blue diamond is.

Same person behind the political problems.

Billy Zane nicked it gave it to Rose and she tossed it in the sea ........everybody knows that

[TheReporter]

In most investigations in Thailand are tainted with fabricated evidence just to frame someone; especially when there is political pressure to close the case by finding the responsible parties to the crime or incident. Much the same tactic applies to most of the so called DSI investigations, which have little or no credibility, in terms of true facts or evidence. Most law enforcement personnel in Thailand are easily bribed for a favorable outcome of their investigations on any incident. All it takes is connection and money and you can pretty much make a case out of nothing or make a major case disappear like the ones in this case. The credibility of the police is never a confident in anyone's mind or belief, as police officers are paid such a meager wage and their professional ethics are hardly ever in existance when it comes to doing the right thing.

[Mango Bob]

The foreigner minister needs to explain to the Saudi government that the Thai courts are not always about justice. Just tell them to look at some of the cases that when against the Thai government to understand why.

[Mentors]

One expensive international hospital in Bangkok will not like this news.

[chotthee]

Justice served.

Now camel rider can return to the sand in peace.

[bigbamboo]

Court dismisses Saudi businessman's murder case

By Digital Content

BANGKOK, March 31 – The Criminal Court today acquitted charges against five Thai police officers in connection with the illegal detention and premeditated murder of a Saudi businessman 24 years ago.

Pol Lt Gen Somkid Boonthanom and four police officers allegedly took Mohammad al-Ruwali to a Bangkok hotel for questioning after which he was killed.

The court said additional evidence including a ring, which was claimed to belong to Mr al-Ruwali, was insufficient and vague.

The ring was supplied by investigative officers to support the murder charges.

Mr al-Ruwali’s death has severely affected Thai-Saudi relations after the Middle Eastern country downgraded ties with Thailand and they have never been restored ever since.

The court said witnesses and evidence for the case must be clear since the suspects could face the death sentence if found guilty.

Mr al-Ruwali was involved in the job placement business between Saudi Arabia and Thailand before his disappearance in February 1990.

The Department of Special Investigation revived the case 2009 and indicted the five suspects in court only a month before the case was due to expire.

Saudi Arabia has suspected that Thai police were involved in the 1990 disappearance of businessman Mohammad al-Ruwaili and the murders of four members of Saudi Arabia's diplomatic staff in Bangkok.

The Saudi government believes that the murders were linked to the theft of US$2 million worth of jewels from the palace of a prince in Riyadh, many of which were never recovered. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-03-31

Who's the dude in the cape?

I don't think it's the Pink Panther.

[casindonet]

Doubt any members of TV is surprise with the verdict....

[leggo]

I was walking across the Sahara one day and from behind a rock up jumped an Arab - is it far from the sea I asked - yes he replied, hundreds of miles. Oh if that's the case I replied. -I think I'll stay on the beach then! My favorite Tommy Cooper joke. That's what this forum does to you!!!!

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Now or Never]

Taksin of Arabia can handle this.

He.ll trade of some more oil wells in the Gulf of Thailand

[antimedia]

I don't think I would like to be one of the five right now, here are people and a religion that believe in an eye for an eye. Karma shall prevail.

[Benmart]

Justice may or may not have been served in this instance. However, I believe that eventually a person will have to answer for their bad deeds.

[LomSak27]

The Saudi government believes that the murders were linked to the theft of US$2 million worth of jewels from the palace of a prince in Riyadh, many of which were never recovered. (MCOT online news)

Now this is way cool - the jewels have now been 'Magically' reduced in a cost estimate - fthe Big Blue alone worth more than 20 but a little less than 60 M (USD) and that in 1989 figures

to a now paltry "2 million"

ahh you just never know what is going to turn up courtesy TV

[jacko45k]

Are we surprised? Since when are the BIBs held accountable for anything? And these aren't just ordinary policemen. They're mostly senior ranks.

Well they are now... they get promoted every-time they arrive for work on-time 2 days running.

It has been many years.