Ex-deputy commerce minister and 5 accomplices face 10 charges in murder trial

In a case which has shocked the nation, former deputy commerce minister, MP and police lieutenant Banyin Tangpakorn and 5 accomplices, accused of involvement in the murder of a senior Bangkok judge’s brother, have been slapped with 10 separate charges.

The Crime Suppression Division commander Jiraphop Phuridet says the accused are charged with: premeditated murder; detention; detention causing death; acting against another person’s will; acting against a government official’s will; criminal association; hiding a body; attempting to eliminate a body; acting as government officials and wearing official uniforms without authorisation.

Banyin has denied all charges and will give testimony at trial, but one of the alleged offenders has reportedly confessed to burning the body and hiding body parts in different spots. The others continue to deny the crimes.

Regarding Banyin’s associates, Jiraphop says there is no evidence that they were involved with the murder.

Police are confident of the evidence they have gathered from six alleged offenders, 111 witnesses, and 4,259 pages of documents that they found, despite the accused denying the charges.

Banyin is accused in 4 separate cases involving document falsification to transfer shares, murder using a car, money laundering and the murder of the brother of the judge hearing the forgery case.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand