Lawyer for migrants wants DNA evidence verified
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A LAWYER representing two migrant suspects charged with killing two British tourists on Koh Tao is seeking to have their DNA samples verified by British forensic personnel, based on his theory that the two men were framed and forced to "confess" to crimes
Aung Meo Tan, who has been hired by the Myanmar embassy to represent the two suspects, does not believe in the DNA claims by the Thai forensic police implicating the two suspects, the source said. But there were no comments directly by Aung Meo Tan over this claim by the source as of press time yesterday.
The public prosecutors’ office in Surat Thani announced yesterday that the police had resubmitted their investigation report, after they were asked on Wednesday to “strengthen” it and “fix some flaws”.
The new version was more complete and had the flaws mended, a spokesman for the office said. The report was now being examined and the two suspects were expected to be indicted soon.
The source added that Maung Maung, a friend of the two suspects, told the lawyer that a Rohingya interpreter in an interview with the police beat and intimidated him to force him to say what the police interrogators dictated.
A high-ranking police source said police were under fire over how they handled the case despite their hard work on the probe. The source admitted that certain pieces of evidence contradicted the facts but said positive DNA verification of the suspects was sufficient to see the investigation complete.
“It seems to be a game-over, but in fact it’s not. Only the national police chief could counter all points of scepticism,” the source said. Royal Thai Police commander Pol General Somyot Poompanmoung made “final” statements about the murder probe at a press conference on Tuesday.
Koh Tao residents conducted a merit-making ceremony yesterday to mark the end of Buddhist Lent and pay respects to the two murder victims.
