AFTER a 17-year legal battle the Supreme Court today (Aug. 31) ruled that the Thai police must pay over 4.3 million baht in damages to Mr. Rittirong Chuenjit who was tortured to confess to a robbery in 2009 and also ordered the removal of his criminal record and fingerprints from the criminal registry, TV Channel 7 said.
The Bangkok South Civil Court on Charoen Krung road handed down the Supreme Court’s verdict with the plaintiff having sued the police under the Tort Liability of State Officials Act B.E. 2539 (1996).
Lawyers from the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF) attended the hearing wherein the Supreme Court ruled that the Thai Police must pay a total of 4,380,000 baht to Rittirong and his criminal record and fingerprints be expunged.
On Jan. 28, 2009 Rittirong, who was then only 18 years old and a high school student, was arrested by Prachinburi Provincial Police Investigation Division officers and tortured. A black plastic bag was placed over his head to suffocate him in order to force him to confess to a robbery. Subsequent investigations by the police and prosecutors revealed that they had prosecuted the wrong person.
Rittirong then filed a criminal lawsuit against the police officers who tortured him at Prachinburi Provincial Court. The court sentenced the police officers to one year and four months imprisonment and a fine of 8,000 baht, but suspended the sentence for two years.
Following this, Rittirong filed a lawsuit seeking damages from the police, the agency responsible for the torture, under the Act on Tort Liability of State Officials B.E. 2539 at the Bangkok South Civil Court.
The Bangkok South Civil Court, as the court of first instance, ruled that the police must pay Rittirong compensation amounting 3.38 million baht.
Subsequently, Rittirong appealed, and the Court of Appeal overturned the lower court’s judgment, ruling that the police should only pay 380,000 baht in compensation, plus interest at a rate of 7.5 percent per year from Jan.28, 2009, to April 10, 2021, and at a rate of 5 percent per year from April 11, 2021 onwards.
CAPTION:
Top and Front Page: Supreme Court signage. Photo –
Also read:
Korat’s Khong district residents threaten to protest over shifting expo location
Late MP’s son-in-law wins Udon Thani by-election
Sports competitions held to pressure polling agency over senatorial rigging conspiracy
Thaksin, Thanathorn, Thammanat urged to set up new coalition govt without Newin’s camp
Pheu Thai could possibly be replaced by Klatham after censure debate: Anutin
Anutin defends Newin’s right-hand man over exam fraud conspiracy
‘Expert’ for Pipat’s son found telephoning senators many times over
Gulf visitor arrivals save Thai tourism from low season disaster
Fire-hit Klong Thom Centre to be demolished while PM2.5 level soars
Oil jumps more than 2% after US attack on Iran’s Larak Island
