The Criminal Court on Thursday handed down a 10 year prison sentence to a former policeman arrested with a large number of M79 grenades during the protests by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) in April 2010.
Then Pol Sgt-Maj Parinya Maneekhot, 40, was stopped for a search at a checkpoint while riding a motorcycle on the Vibhavadi-Rangsit highway in Don Muang district of Bangkok on April 28, 2010.
Pol Sgt-Maj Parinya refused to be searched and fled into Vibhavadi Soi 1. While he was fleeing, a large plastic bag fell off the rear of his motorcycle. The bag was picked up by police who had followed him from the checkpoint.
Sixty-two M79 grenade rounds, complete with fuses, were found in the plastic bag along with a police ID card identifying him as an officer attached to Khu Khot district police in Pathum Thani province.
Pol Sgt-Maj Parinya was later arrested.
State prosecutors on March 3, 2011 indicted him in the Criminal Court on a charge of illegal possession of war weapons with intent to sell in violation of the Arms and Explosives Act.
Pol Sgt-Maj Parinya told the court he was ordered by his superiors to mingle among UDD protesters and collect intelligence and denied the M79 rounds were in his possession. However, he could not produce evidence to show he was acting on orders from his commanders.
The court found him guilty of having war weapons in his possession with intent to sell and sentenced him to 10 years in prison.
Pol Sgt-Maj Parinya's lawyer said he would appeal.