Former pop idol Pookie’s life sentence for drug trafficking, money laundering halved to 38 years
Former pop star “Pookie” was slapped with 38 year jail sentence over drug trafficking and money laundering.
The Criminal Court on Wednesday issued a verdict on the case where Prissana or Priscilla “Pookie” Gemelli and her husband were arrested for selling 5.17 kilograms of ketamine to a Taiwanese man in June 2019 at their rented home in Bangkok’s Bang Khen district.
The Thai-Australian former singer Prissana, 41, and her Thai husband, Chonlawit Kitatrakul, 50, also tested positive for substance abuse. The couple together with Taiwanese national Hung Cheng Yi, 29, were charged with drug trafficking and money laundering.
The court found all three defendants guilty and sentenced Hung to 25 years in prison and a Bt2.5 million fine. Prissana and Chonlawit, meanwhile, were slapped with a life sentence and a total fine of Bt3.6 million. However, since the defendants had confessed and cooperated with the investigation, the court decided to halve their sentences.
Hence, Hung will be in prison for 12 years and six months with a Bt1.25 million fine, while Prissana and Chonlawit were each given 38 years and nine months in jail and hit with a fine of Bt1.8 million.
The court has said that if the defendants are unable to pay the fine, they can choose to spend the equivalent time behind bars instead.
