Acquittal of five policeman in 1990 Saudi murder case upheld
The Supreme Court on Friday acquitted all five defendants, including a former top police chief, of the murder of a Saudi businessman in 1990.
The highest court upheld a lower courts’ decision to drop the charges that they detained and murdered Mohammad al-Ruwaili, on the grounds of weak evidence. All the defendants were policemen.
The prosecution accused Pol Lt General Somkid Boonthanom, the former head of the Provincial Police Region 5, Pol Colonel Sorarak or Somchai Jusanit, Pol Colonel Prapas Piyamongkhon, Pol Lt Colonel Suradej Udomdee, and Pol Sgt Major 3rd Class Prasong Thongrang of abducting al-Ruwaili during an investigation into the death of a Saudi diplomat.
According to affidavits, the policemen suspected that al-Ruwaili – whose agency recruited Thai workers to jobs in Saudi Arabia – might have been involved in the murder of the diplomat.
But all three courts have found that there is no clear evidence that the defendants killed al-Ruwaili.
“Thank you for giving us justice,” Somkid said upon hearing the Supreme Court’s ruling. He suspected he and his subordinates were framed by someone who wanted to block his promotion in the police force.
