Court Affirms Jail Time for Cops’ Sons Who Killed Disabled Man

Defendants arrive at the court on Nov. 19, 2019.

BANGKOK — An appeal court on Tuesday affirms jail sentence for six men – four of which are sons of police officers – who allegedly killed a disabled man in broad daylight back in 2016.

The court found the six men, all of them in their early 20s, guilty of murder, intrusion, and other weapons-related charges for slashing Somkiat Srichan to his death. A 20-year-old woman who was filmed urging the men to kill Somkiat was also convicted of being accessory to murder.

The defendants were Arin Yodponganan, Peerapol Yodponganan, Monmanat Sangpho, Akkaradet Thatsana, Mek Polkraisorn, Jatuporn Chansoph, and Natnicha Ritlamlert.

Read: Stoned, Cornered and Knifed: Witness Recalls How Gang Killed Disabled Man

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They were given jail terms that varied from 12 to 18 years. The group was also instructed to compensate Somkiat’s family with a sum of 500,000 baht, plus an annual interest of 7.5 percent.

Somkiat’s relative Methas Polprasert told reporters he’s satisfied with the verdict, and would not make an appeal to the Supreme Court.

“Losing a person we love is a wound to all of us,” Methas said.

Somkiat, who could not use his right leg, was slashed and stabbed by the defendants on the morning of May 1, 2019, in Bangkok’s Ladphrao district following a verbal argument, prosecutors say. Somkiat was a bakery worker.

Although some defendants argued for clemency because they were younger than 20 at the time and had never been convicted of any crime, the appeal court rejected their plea for lighter sentence, saying that their crimes were too serious.

The court also noted that four of the defendants’ connection to the authorities made it extremely unlikely that any witness would dare make false testimonies against them.

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The seven defendants have been in jail since 2016, their bail request denied.

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‘I Watched Him as He Died,’ Witness to Disabled Man’s Murder Recalls