THE Criminal Court today (Jan. 20) sentenced former deputy commerce minister Pol. Lt. Col. Banyin Tangpakorn to death in the murder of Mr. Chuwong Saetang, a national-level contractor, with the verdict pointing out that his death was not an accident as the defendant has claimed, Amarin TV said.
In reading out the verdict in the case filed by the deceased’s widow, Mrs. Sirirat Saetang and company, the judge said that the death of Chuwong, or Sia Cheed, on June 26, 2015 when the sedan he was travelling in, seated on the front passenger seat, and driven by Banyin hit a tree on Rama 9 road was not an accident as the defendant claimed.
The judge added that the defendant, who was also elected an MP for Nakhon Sawan province several times, had committed a premedidated murder for personal gain and also tried to hide the crime in order to not face penalty.
The judge also said that the plaintiff had convincing evidence that Chuwong was murdered by Banyin who continued to insist it was an accident.
The defendant heard the verdict via video conference in prison where he is serving terms for forgery of Chuwong’s share transfer documents and the kidnap and murder of a judge’s brother.
Aside from Mrs. Sirirat and the teams of lawyers also present at the court to hear the verdict were Chuwong’s sister Mrs. Wanpen Thanathamsiri and Banyin’s wife Mrs. Waraporn Tangpakorn and his son Mr.Woraphat Tangpakorn.
CAPTION:
Top: The defendant being brought to court for an earlier hearing. Thai headline says, “death sentence.” Photo: Amarin TV
