Lawyers for ‘popcorn gunman’ eyeing bail bid
LAWYERS for convicted “popcorn gunman’’ killer Wiwat Yodprasit are considering using a bail bond in a bid to have him released from jail after he rejected receiving donations.
Puangtip Boonsanong, Wiwat’s chief lawyer, told The Nation that the lawyer team was considering what type of guarantee could be used for the bail application, and the bail bond had emerged as one of the choices as suggested by one of Wiwat’s key supporters.
“We have not finalised the matter yet, but it [the bail bond] is under consideration,” she said. “If picked, the insurance [premium for the bond] would account for around 10 per cent of the bail [amount], or around Bt400,000.”
On March 3, Wiwat was sentenced to life imprisonment, commuted to 37 years and four months, for murder, attempted murder and possessing and carrying a gun and ammunition in public places without permission. The charges also related to carrying a gun and ammunition while the country was under an emergency decree.
He shot at people during a clash in February 2014 amid the “Bangkok shutdown” orchestrated by opponents of the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra. During the shooting he wore a balaclava and had his gun covered by a large popcorn bag.
He fired at a group of people who clashed with People’s Democratic Reform Committee protesters against the Yingluck government. He claimed he was guarding the protesters.
Several advocate groups that sided with the now-defunct PDRC have expressed a wish to help Wiwat and his family. But the convicted killer said he would not receive any aid as he did not want others to take advantage of his name, Puangtip said.
“He insisted that the management of donations would be taken care of by the lawyer team and Buddha Isara [a prominent monk who was a leader of a PDRC alliance group]. And at the moment, we have not yet called for any aid,” she said.
Buddha Isara has been giving Wiwat Bt15,000 per month, she said.
Puangtip on Sunday spoke with representatives from the Chulalongkorn-Thammasat University Network, and Chai Rachawat, a prominent political cartoonist, to discuss ways to help Wiwat.
They reportedly resolved to use an individual account to receive donations. However, on Monday the lawyer said that was incorrect in a Facebook post, adding that Wiwat would not accept any donations.
She expects to appeal against the verdict and bail Wiwat out in the next couple of months.
She said she would petition the court to accept the bail application as Wiwat would not flee, adding that the bail request would be considered when tabled with the appeal.
On Tuesday around 200 supporters who regard themselves as PDRC visited Wiwat at Bang Kwang Central Prison, after rumours he had been abandoned by the PDRC. Five were allowed to meet him including his wife.
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