police chief doubts accused
The man who allegedly confessed to shooting dead the nephew of a former deputy leader of the Pheu Thai Party may not have been the real gunman, national police chief Somyot Pumpunmuang says. Suspected...
He was speaking yesterday after police arrested the suspect, Kemthat Lertlakanakul, in a condominium in Klong San district on Sunday night. The suspect allegedly told police he had shot Tiwaphan Pao-in...
However, Pol Gen Somyot said he and the police investigators on the case are not convinced that Mr Kemthat is the real killer, as he seems inexperienced in sniper shooting. Tiwaphan, the nephew of Pol...
The suspect may not be the shooter, but he could still be connected to the crime in other ways, said Pol Gen Somyot. Tiwaphan was gunned down while holding his two-year old daughter in front of his house...
The chief investigator in the case, Pol Lt Gen Amnuay Nimmano, commander of Provincial Police Region 1, yesterday announced Mr Kemthat's arrest to the media at the Nonthaburi police office.
According to Pol Lt Gen Amnuay, the suspect told investigators he used to be Tiwaphan's driver and close aide. The suspect said he helped Tiwaphan manage his luxury car business and collect debts for him....
Out of anger, the suspect then allegedly bought an M16 assault rifle off the internet and shot his former boss in front of his house before fleeing the scene and selling the getaway car, Pol Lt Gen Amnuay...
Pol Lt Gen Amnuay said the suspect said he had practised shooting. Police have examined the evidence and the firearm purchase records. Mr Kemthat faces charges of premeditated murder, possessing a firearm...
Pol Lt Gen Amnuay said police gathered eyewitness accounts and checked CCTV cameras on the route along which the suspect was believed to have fled.
The suspect drove on the expressway in the Ngam Wong Wan area and used an Easy Pass card to pay the toll fare. The card helped police identify him.
Mr Kemthat was later taken to the crime scene, Tiwaphan's home, to re-enact the events. He was also brought before the victim's father, Pol Col Anan Pao-in, to seek forgiveness, but police had to whisk...
Mr Kemthat shows police how he allegedly shot Tiwaphan, the nephew of Pol Lt Gen Virote Pao-in, a former Pheu Thai deputy leader.