More evidence needed to indict Joe Ferrari, six officers, OAG says
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) announced on Friday that it has not yet issued an order to prosecute Pol Colonel Thitisan Uthanapol and six officers at the police station he headed in Muang Nakhon Sawan.
Deputy spokesperson Prayuth Petchkhun said OAG has ordered the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) to conduct further investigation and ensure all evidence is in hand before the suspects can be indicted. He said the OAG will order their indictment before November 17, the last day they can be held in police custody.
Prayuth added that he will hold a press conference at the OAG headquarters in Bangkok’s Lak Si area at 1pm on Monday to provide further updates.
On November 3, CSD filed a case against Thitisan and six other police officers charging them with malfeasance, abuse of authority, torture causing death and coercion.
Thitisan, 30, better known as Joe Ferrari for his collection of expensive cars, and six officers were accused of suffocating 24-year-old drug suspect Chiraphong Thanapat on August 5 while trying to extort 2 million baht from him.
A clip posted on social media shows Chiraphong’s head being covered by plastic bags during interrogation. He was pronounced dead the following day and Thitisan is accused of telling the doctor to put the cause of death down to drug overdose.
