Supakit's killers get life in prison
The Criminal Court yesterday sentenced the four gunmen who three years ago killed former Kanchanaburi provincial councillor Supakit Paenkhieo to life in prison.
The court had earlier sentenced the men to death. The court found Pol Sergeant Decha Dechboon, Sgt Mongkol Thongyim, Pirom Charatmana-chot and Chuchat Chunprom guilty of killing Supakit, attempting to murder Supakit's driver and of illegal possession of firearms. The court initially sentenced the men to death, but later switched the punishment to life sentences because the four defendants' testimonies had been useful to the case. The court acquitted a fifth defendant, Kajphum Phoem-phoon, the former mayor of Tambon Laokhwan mu- nicipality, who had been accused of masterminding the murder. The court found that the only evidence against Kajphum was testimony from the other defendants, which was insufficient to punish him. Kajphum was later released. He thanked the court for delivering justice and restoring his innocence. On June 26, 2003, a group of gunmen attacked and killed Supakit - then a Thai Rak Thai MP candidate - while he was on his way to visit voters in Tambon Nong Pradu in Lao Khwan district. His driver, Somneuk Namwa, was seriously injured.
The Nation Kanchanaburi
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