Suspected kill-squad contractor denies charges

PHUKET: The suspect accused of hiring a group of hitmen to kill a man over a Phuket land deal gone sour last month turned himself into police on Monday, but denied the charges.

Phang Nga local Anuthep Tanwera, 70, showed up at Thalang Police Station with an arrest warrant from the court in hand. The warrant charged him with hiring people to commit premeditated murder, Col Boonlert Onklang of the Thalang Police told the Phuket Gazette yesterday.

The charges refer to the attempted assassination of Songwit Vinyupradit, 49, on January 19 (story here).

On February 24, a group of five men were arrested and confessed to their roles in the attempted slaying (story here). They told police that they had been hired by Mr Anuthep, who had been unable to come to an agreement over a land deal with Mr Songwit.

The men received 35,000 baht upfront, with the rest of the money – 265,000 – to be paid after the killing.

Mr Anuthep denied the charges and was released on a 370,000-baht bail, with a land title deed serving as the guarantee, Col Boonlert explained.

“Mr Anuthep surrendered to the authorities, unlike the other men, so we let him out on bail,” Col Boonlert said.

“We are investigating and collecting evidence as quickly as we can so that we can submit the case to the public prosecutor as soon as possible.”

— Voratuss Intasee