FRIDAY, April 19, 2024
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Malaysian police to give evidence in drug trial

Malaysian police to give evidence in drug trial

Malaysian police will testify as plaintiff witnesses in a drug case against alleged Lao drug kingpin Xaysana Keopimpha and his two alleged accomplices.

Xaysana, 42, had lived a high-profile, extravagant life for years until his dramatic arrest at Suvarnabhumi Airport earlier this year. 
He has now been arraigned in two drug cases, the first involving 1.2 million meth-amphetamine tablets and the other involving more than 3 million meth-amphetamine tablets. 
In the first case, the first hearing into plaintiff witnesses will take place at 9am on February 13 next year. In the second case, it will take place on July 31. 
On Monday, public prosecutors produced to the Criminal Court the list of witnesses for the second case. 
It includes Malaysian police who played a role in the arrest of Sainudeng Ma, a suspected major drug trafficker in Malaysia, because he allegedly ordered drugs from Laos. 
Xaysana has been arraigned along with two alleged accomplices, Chumphon Panomprai, 42, and Ratchapon Ratsaponpakorn, 28. Ratchapon allegedly exchanged foreign currencies for Sainudeng several times. 
All the defendants have to date denied any wrongdoing. 
Ratchapon will present his parents and the parents of his ex-wife as witnesses in a bid to prove that he is not unusually rich. According to him, there is evidence that he has been struggling to pay premiums for his son’s life insurance. 
Xaysana and Chumphon will present several witnesses, including some jail inmates. 
Xaysana, Chumphon and Ratchapon are all detained at the Central Prison. Public prosecutors have objected to their release on bail, citing that their alleged crimes carry heavy punishments and there is a risk they may abscond. 

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