Blue Diamond case cop to stay in jail, 4 others sent up

The Appeals Court verdict was read at Bangkok’s Ratchadapisek Criminal Court yesterday morning. It told how Chalor and others were investigating the jewellery theft by Thai worker Kriengkrai Techamong who stole the valuables worth Bt500 million while in Saudi Arabia and sold them to businessman Santi Srithanakhan.

The lawsuit said the defendants had extorted money from suspects in the case several times over –Bt3 million, Bt660,000, and Bt1.2 million – in exchange for not arresting them for having the stolen items in their possession. The defendants were accused of abusing their authority by also embezzling some of the jewellery while investigating the theft case.

The lower court gave Chalor a 20year jail term and Rittisart Kaewdej sevenyears’ imprisonment –reduced to four years and eight months. Four others were acquitted because of insufficient evidence against them.

Yesterday the Appeals Court upheld the 20year jail term for Chalor and corrected the acquittal for four other men. Colonel Prasert Jantrapipat was given 10 years in jail, while Pol Sen Sgt Maj Teng Tippalawong, Pol Sgt Maj Sanit Kawicha and Pol Sgt Maj Sawek Kanthama were each given sevenyear jail terms. Since Teng and Sanit returned the Bt200,000 cash evidence, the court further reduced their sentences to four years and eight months.

The lower court trial for this case had taken 13 years, while the Appeals Court trial took another six years. Chalor and the others were also sued for the murder of Santi’s wife and son, for which Chalor was sentenced to death. Santi was given a threeyear jail for taking stolen items into his possession.