Panel probes prison death of Kritsana

Panel probes prison death of Kritsana

Kin accuse arresting officers of negligence

A police investigation panel has been set up to look into a Bang Pong Pang police investigator and other officers involved in the arrest of a man who was mistakenly prosecuted under his cousin's name and later died in prison.

 Achariya Ruangrathana, president of The Club to Assist Victims of Crimes, yesterday led the family of the victim to file a complaint with Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Kamronwit Thoopkrachang.

The complaint calls for an investigation into Pol Lt Athipat Maisuk, a police investigator, and other officers involved in the arrest and prosecution of Kritsana Jengcharoen.

The family has accused the officers of not properly verifying the victim's identity before jailing him.

Kritsana, 37, died in prison after being jailed under the name of his cousin Thanakij Sabking, 38.

Mr Achariya said Kritsana was arrested on March 6 at 2am for drink driving but since he had a previous drink-driving conviction he told Bang Pong Pang police that he was his cousin, Thanakij, who died in early January.

Police did not check Kritsana's ID card carefully and prosecuted him as his cousin Thanakij.

The court found him guilty of drink driving and sentenced him to 42 days in prison because he was unable to pay the 8,500-baht fine.

On March 9 he was savagely beaten by other inmates and died at Khlong Five Prison in Pathum Thani.

The prison officers reported his death to police at Thanya Buri police station following the attack.

Mr Achariya said the attack took place in the presence of prison wardens.

However, no one took him to the hospital. He also said Kritsana was handcuffed at the time of the attack and that it was videotaped by someone who witnessed it.

Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit yesterday assigned deputy MPB chief Thitiraj Nongharnpitak and Metropolitan Police Division 5 commander Suebsak Pansuya to handle the case.

Pol Maj Gen Thitiraj said the case would be a lesson for police officers to carefully verify the identify of people they arrest.

He vowed not to protect any officers who are found to have been negligent in their duties.

The investigation is expected to be straightforward as the case does not appear to be very complex, he added.

Pol Maj Gen Suebsak said Kritsana's offence of drink driving is considered minor.

Police handling the case had to prosecute him in the court following his confession.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT