Teacher's wins fight for justice after wrongful imprisonment

 

Picture: Thairath

 

NAKHON PHANOM: -- A Thai teacher's fight for justice for more than a decade is nearing resolution.

 

Jormsap Saenmeuangkot was jailed in 2013 for three years and two months for knocking down a cyclist in Nakorn Panom.

 

She ended up serving one year and six months.

 

But Jormsap, now 54, who had been a career teacher in Sakorn Nakorn for 31 years had repeatedly told police that she had nothing to do with the death of the cyclist.

 

She said that at the time of the accident in 2005 she had been at home with her family and that she was entirely innocent.

 

Later it emerged that police had bungled the case and a man was responsible for the death of the cyclist. It had been dark and witness evidence about the color of the pick-up involved its registration plate was incorrect.

 

But Jormsap had now lost her job in teaching and been jailed causing considerable hardship to her family. Yesterday she was taken to the Justice Ministry to thank senior representatives there after it was announced that there would be a retrial.

 

Jormsap is now expected to be reinstated and compensated for her loss.

 

Source: Thairath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-01-10

Well done hope she gets a good compensation.

And what about the Police who bungled the case? 

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

Later it emerged that police had bungled the case

There's a shocker...

Do Thai police understand the term 'alibi'?  It would appear that some initial investigation would have confirmed her story -- as well as a cursory inspection of her truck for any damage.

1 minute ago, pookiki said:

Do Thai police understand the term 'alibi'?  It would appear that some initial investigation would have confirmed her story -- as well as a cursory inspection of her truck for any damage.

It shows how bad the Justice system is here. 

The justice system here is god awful. I don't know why people always think you should everything the benefit of the doubt. I like to follow the example of science. You do experiments over and over again, and you look at the outcome. For the Thai police, the outcome is pretty much awful.

 

How can you provide evidence to convict a woman who has an alibi, yet allow a Mercedes-driving lunatic hopped up on meds and on camera, still be allowed to walk the streets (probably still driving). 

 

Also, I didn't think anyone was sent to prison in this country for vehicular manslaughter. I thought it was always 'accident's' fault. 

Justice is a distant bell, rarely heard in Thailand.

17 minutes ago, DaveE13 said:

Well done hope she gets a good compensation.

And what about the Police who bungled the case? 

 

 

I bet they wont be refunding the 'bungling fee'.. 

 

Absolutely disgusting that the cops screwed the case up and an innocent person was actually jailed.

Even more disgusting though is that this jailing was done some 3 years after the unlicenced hiso kid killed 9 in her car and wasn't even arrested for it.

A banana republic justice system is in clear view here. If there was any remedy here it would be that each cop on the case do the sentence this lady did, and the judge 10x. Despicable ?

"...Yesterday she was taken to the Justice Ministry to thank senior representatives there after it was announced that there would be a retrial..."

 

Thank them for righting a wrong - pathetic !!!

I like the US system - where a few tens of millions would be taken from the Police retirement fund to pay for the hardship suffered by the victim.

Snip....

 
Also, I didn't think anyone was sent to prison in this country for vehicular manslaughter. I thought it was always 'accident's' fault. 

Ask ever, that will depend on who you know and how much money you have.

2 hours ago, rkidlad said:

How can you...allow a Mercedes-driving lunatic hopped up on meds and on camera, still be allowed to walk the streets (probably still driving).

 

The court case hasn't finished, he has bail, that's how.

2 hours ago, DaveE13 said:

And what about the Police who bungled the case? 

 

Already been promoted for their good work. 

2 hours ago, z42 said:

 

Even more disgusting though is that this jailing was done some 3 years after the unlicenced hiso kid killed 9 in her car and wasn't even arrested for it.

 

You must be referring to the 16 year old (at the time) who WAS arrested and convicted.

2 hours ago, DaveE13 said:

It shows how bad the Justice system is here. 

Well Well Thailand has a justice system does it?  You could have knocked me down with a feather

6 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Hey! It's Mr. Angry. How many people have you fallen out with today?

 

Ah, people only go to jail after they've been found guilty. No one is ever denied bail and held because the evidence is there already. Makes you wonder why they even do the bail thing anyway, right?

 

Cheers for that, boy. 

I haven't fallen out with anyone, sometimes, strangely, it happens the other way around, though.

 

You don't seem to understand what bail is.   If the accused can meet the bail conditions laid down by the courts, or the police, bail is granted regardless of what evidence is available before a conviction has been made.

 

Don't refer to me as "boy", you don't know my ethnicity.

...know nothing about this case...but....

 

...how did the 'witness' just happen to see her license number and her vehicle...???

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Later it emerged that police had bungled the case and a man was responsible for the death of the cyclist. It had been dark and witness evidence about the color of the pick-up involved its registration plate was incorrect.

Another Laurel and Hardy case. Geeze. When will the incompetence ever end.?? 

3 hours ago, waldroj said:

"...Yesterday she was taken to the Justice Ministry to thank senior representatives there after it was announced that there would be a retrial..."

 

Thank them for righting a wrong - pathetic !!!

The pecking order must prevail or else lawlessness would rule the land. 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Jormsap is now expected to be reinstated and compensated for her loss.

 

At the very least. An apology would also be nice and I do not mean from her to the incompetents. 

5 hours ago, DaveE13 said:

Well done hope she gets a good compensation.

And what about the Police who bungled the case? 

Promoted of course. 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

there would be a retrial.

Why? Should only have to petition the court to void its guilty verdict.

5 hours ago, trogers said:

the Police retirement fund to pay for the hardship suffered by the victim.

Do you have a cite for this statement?

Typically, it is the municipality (ie., city, county, state) that pays out of taxpayer funds. And/or compensation may be paid out of a police insurance policy as provided by a police union and/or by personal policy.

47 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Do you have a cite for this statement?

Typically, it is the municipality (ie., city, county, state) that pays out of taxpayer funds. And/or compensation may be paid out of a police insurance policy as provided by a police union and/or by personal policy.

 

No insurance here. In fact, a policeman has to pay for his own service weapon and bullets...??

4 hours ago, gdgbb said:

You must be referring to the 16 year old (at the time) who WAS arrested and convicted.

 

Was never arrested mate, go do some research before attempting to put everyone to rights. If you look up on that case, she was allowed to leave the crash scene with relatives, and was allowed to come to the police to make statements etc entirely on her / her family's terms and convenience.

Keeping on topic here, I guess the only similarity between the 2 cases is the cops / judiciary in each case making a complete dog's dinner of the prosecution and sentencing. Are you suggesting each / either isn't absolutely outrageous? Or are you just arguing the toss for no good reason?

46 minutes ago, z42 said:

 

Was never arrested mate, go do some research before attempting to put everyone to rights. If you look up on that case, she was allowed to leave the crash scene with relatives, and was allowed to come to the police to make statements etc entirely on her / her family's terms and convenience.

Keeping on topic here, I guess the only similarity between the 2 cases is the cops / judiciary in each case making a complete dog's dinner of the prosecution and sentencing. Are you suggesting each / either isn't absolutely outrageous? Or are you just arguing the toss for no good reason?

She was arrested.  To be accused of a crime and appear in court and be sentenced she would obviously need to be arrested.  She was bailed after her arrest.  Do some research yourself, you need it, not I.  Perhaps you should bear in mind that at the time of her arrest she was only 16 years old.

1 hour ago, trogers said:

 

No insurance here. In fact, a policeman has to pay for his own service weapon and bullets...??

 

But compensation does not come out of the pension fund!  Ever.

 

What do you mean by there is "no insurance here"?  Do you seriously think that Thailand has no insurers?

How many 1000's are locked up because of inept police work. As all who post on here know you can drive a high powered car kill 2 people and get away with it if you have the right name and the ability to run overseas. No international arrest warrant put out for this alleged murderer because that is what is was.

How about the 2 lads accused of the murder of the 2 Brits are we to believe everything above board there.

The man in charge should start cleaning up the mess instead of believing what he is being told, how many exam cheats are there in the force. You cannot expect to get the results if you do not have the support.

 

Seems to be a regular thing bundling cases and wrong people being locked up but luckily the rich are spared that inconvenience