Death terms for police guilty of murdering youth, 17

The death sentence was meted out against three police senior sergeant majors Angkarn Kammoonna, Sudtinan Noanting and Pansin Uppana. They were 48, 43, and 42 years old respectively. They were also found guilty of trying to cover up their crime.
Pol Lt Colonel Sumit Nansatit, who was serving as deputy superintendent of Muang Kalasin station at the time of the murder, was convicted of collaborating in the premeditated murder.  He was sentenced to life imprisonment.
His supervisor Pol Colonel Montri Sriboonleu, the former superintendent of Muang Kalasin Police, was found guilty of trying to help his subordinates escape the reach of the law. He was ordered to serve a sevenyear jail term.
The court found Angkarn, Sudtinan, Pansin, and Sumit strangled Kiatisak Titboonkrong, a 17yearold suspect in a motorcycletheft case, in Kalasin on 22 July 2004. They and Montri then had Kiatisak’s body moved to Roi Et and make it appear like Kiatisak hanged himself.
Kiatisak’s family suspected foul play in his death and lodged a complaint. From July 30, 2004 to April 27, 2005, Sumit and Montri had intimidated the victim’s family. All these police denied any wrongdoing. The court, however, found solid evidence against them and handed down the guilty verdicts yesterday.
The killing of the Kiatisak took place at the time of the Thaksin Shinawatra government’s controversial “War on drugs”.
Last year, the Criminal Court handed down a suspended twoyear jail term to three police for opening fire on a drug suspect’s vehicle, which lead to the death of his twoyearold son in February 2003.
Pol Senior Sergeant Major Pipat Saenin, Sergeant Major Panumas Chanakham, and Sgt Major Anusorn Taensuwan were convicted of recklessness during the sting operation and attempt to arrest the drug suspect. They were also ordered to pay a Bt10,000 fine each. The fatal shooting also took place during the ‘War on drugs’.