SONGKHLA, 4 June 2015 – A high-ranking army officer allegedly involved in Rohingya human trafficking has denied all charges, following eight hours of interrogation.
Maj Gen Manat Kongpan, who turned himself in to police yesterday, faces 13 charges, including conspiracy to traffick minors below the age of 15, aiding the entry of illegal migrants into the Kingdom, helping to hide corpses, and trans-national crime. Maj Gen Manat denied all charges and authorities have refused to post bail.
Maj Gen Manat will be in custody at the Nathawee provincial court today. He has become the most senior official suspected of involvement with human trafficking in the South. Courts have issued arrest warrants for 84 suspects, 52 of whom were arrested. The remaining 32 suspects are still at large.
