The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases sentenced a former chief of the Nakhon Sawan police station and five former subordinates to life imprisonment for fatally covering a drug suspect’s head with plastic bags.
Another defendant faced a jail term of five years and four months for lack of evidence he took part in the suffocation.
The court originally handed down death penalty on Pol Col Thitisan Utthanaphon, former chief of the Nakhon Sawan police station in Nakhon Sawan province, Pol Maj Raweerot Ditthong, Pol Cap Songyos Khlainak, Pol Lt Thoranin Matwanna, Pol Sen Sgt Maj Wisoot Boonkiaw and Pol L/C Paweekon Kammarew.
The sentence was commuted to life imprisonment because of their useful testimonies, help to send the suspect to hospital and financial assistance for the family of the late drug suspect. Pol Sen Sgt Maj Supakon Nimchuen was sentenced to five years and four months in jail because there was not any evidence to proof he was among the policemen who suffocated the suspect.
All the seven former policemen were earlier discharged from police service after being the defendants in the death case of the drug suspect, Mawin. The policemen used many plastic bags to cover the suspect’s head while telling him to reveal the location of narcotics. The suspect suffocated on Aug 5, 2021.
The suspect’s parents demanded the seven people pay 1.5 million baht in compensation. The court dismissed the demand, saying the parents must sue the Royal Thai Police Office instead. (TNA)
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