Pubdate: Sat, 08 Mar 2003
Source: Nation, The (Thailand)
Copyright: 2003 Nation Multimedia Group
Contact:  http://www.nationmultimedia.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1963

EVIDENCE PUTS NEW SPIN ON BOY'S DEATH

The controversy over the death of a nine-year-old boy killed in the war on 
drugs took yet another twist yesterday after forensic evidence appeared to 
clear three policemen of the killing.

Scientific Crime Detection Division (SCDD) commander Pol Maj-General Chuan 
Worawanit said that the guns and bullets examined were not those used by 
the three police in the chase of drug suspect Pornwipa Kerdrungruang.

Two bullets killed nine-year-old Chakraphan Srisa-ard, who was in the back 
seat of the getaway car driven by his mother Pornwipa on the night of 23 
February in central Bangkok.

Police officers initially said that they had fired on the car on Lan Luang 
Road and stray bullets had killed the child, but the investigating officers 
later said that police did not fire at the car.

Chuan said Nang Lerng police combed the getaway car to trace the bullets 
and study the bullet holes. Traces of gunpowder on the hands of the 
officers, their .38 revolvers and another found in the car, bullets and 
spent cartridges, including three .38 cartridges (one found in the boy's 
body and two in the car) were examined.

"The three bullets found in the car did not match the four guns turned in 
for detection," he said.

Police also found one bullet hole shot from inside the car but could not 
find the cartridge.

National Police Commission spokesman Maj-General Pongsapat Pongcharoen said 
that police would continue to search for the gun that killed the boy.

Chuan and Pongsapat were evasive when asked why police had not submitted 
for testing the bullet that was fired through the boy's body. They told 
reporters to ask the deputy metropolitan police chief, Maj-General Jakthip 
Kunchorn na Ayutthaya.

The three officers at the centre of the controversy are Sergeant Major 
Pipat Sang-in, Lance Corporal Anusorn Tansuwan and Corporal Panumas Chanacham.

Jakthip said yesterday the results showed that either police did not fire 
at the car as they earlier stated, or the three police used different guns 
than those handed in to the SCDD. "Investigators will try to determine 
which guns the three officers normally carried and if they were the ones 
submitted to the SCDD," he said.

However police have not withdrawn conspiracy to murder charges against the 
three officers and are looking for further evidence and witnesses.

"If anyone knows who shot at the car, please come forward to identify the 
gunman. The three police will be in the line up," Jakthip said.

Investigating police earlier claimed a "third party" was involved in the 
shooting and could have been responsible for the boy's death.

They floated the theory that a man on a motorcycle from the same drug ring 
fired at the car and killed the boy. They said that when the officers heard 
the gunfire, they threw themselves on the ground and only fired shots in 
the air to frighten the criminals.
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