Joe Ferrari: Ex-Thai police chief convicted of suspect killing
Wed, June 8, 2022
A former Thai police chief has been sentenced to life in jail after being found guilty of murder by torture, in a case that sparked national outrage over police brutality.
Thitisan Utthanaphon was nicknamed Joe Ferrari for his many luxury cars.
In August, he was arrested after a leaked video surfaced showing him and colleagues wrapping plastic bags around the head of a 24-year-old drug suspect during an interrogation.
The suspect later died.
On Wednesday, a Thai court found the 41-year-old guilty of murder by torture and sentenced him to death. However the death sentence was immediately reduced to life imprisonment.
The court cited his attempts to revive the suspect, Jirapong Thanapat, and that he had paid for the funeral expenses for the family.
Five of the six other officers involved in the interrogation were also convicted of murder and given life sentences. A seventh received a smaller sentence due to his testimony.
The father of the victim said he felt "helpless during the ruling, and my wife was crying," AFP news agency reported.
Jakkrit Klandi said outside the court on Wednesday: "All seven officers should learn their lesson and pay for their crime."
'I did not intend to kill him'
Footage of the brutal police interrogation went viral last year, prompting Thitisan to flee his post.
He later surrendered to police, and in a press conference organised by police, he claimed the suspect's death was an accident.
"I did not intend to kill him... I intended to get the information so I can destroy the drug business," he said.
The high rolling ex-police chief accused of torture
He also denied accusations that he had demanded a bribe from the suspect during the encounter.
According to local reports, the alleged torture occurred after the suspect was told to double a bribe that had been agreed for his release and that of his girlfriend.
He was ordered to pay 2 million baht (£46,000; $58,000) to have his charges dropped and was attacked when he refused, according to The Bangkok Post newspaper, which cited a whistleblower's complaint lodged with the police.
The case struck a nerve in Thailand where the police force has been accused of being incompetent and corrupt.
In the investigation into Thitisan after his arrest, authorities found that he lived in a luxury home in Bangkok, and estimated that he had amassed a fortune of at least 42 cars.
One of them was a rare Lamborghini Aventador Anniversario, of which only 100 were made, priced in Thailand at 47 million baht ($1.3m; £1.1m) - about a thousand times more than his monthly salary.
Thailand: Life sentences for police officers involved in torture
Wed, June 8, 2022
A former Thai police chief has been sentenced to life in jail after being found guilty of murder by torture, in a case that sparked national outrage over police brutality.
Thitisan Utthanaphon was nicknamed Joe Ferrari for his many luxury cars.
In August, he was arrested after a leaked video surfaced showing him and colleagues wrapping plastic bags around the head of a 24-year-old drug suspect during an interrogation.
The suspect later died.
On Wednesday, a Thai court found the 41-year-old guilty of murder by torture and sentenced him to death. However the death sentence was immediately reduced to life imprisonment.
The court cited his attempts to revive the suspect, Jirapong Thanapat, and that he had paid for the funeral expenses for the family.
Five of the six other officers involved in the interrogation were also convicted of murder and given life sentences. A seventh received a smaller sentence due to his testimony.
The father of the victim said he felt "helpless during the ruling, and my wife was crying," AFP news agency reported.
Jakkrit Klandi said outside the court on Wednesday: "All seven officers should learn their lesson and pay for their crime."
'I did not intend to kill him'
Footage of the brutal police interrogation went viral last year, prompting Thitisan to flee his post.
He later surrendered to police, and in a press conference organised by police, he claimed the suspect's death was an accident.
"I did not intend to kill him... I intended to get the information so I can destroy the drug business," he said.
The high rolling ex-police chief accused of torture
He also denied accusations that he had demanded a bribe from the suspect during the encounter.
According to local reports, the alleged torture occurred after the suspect was told to double a bribe that had been agreed for his release and that of his girlfriend.
He was ordered to pay 2 million baht (£46,000; $58,000) to have his charges dropped and was attacked when he refused, according to The Bangkok Post newspaper, which cited a whistleblower's complaint lodged with the police.
The case struck a nerve in Thailand where the police force has been accused of being incompetent and corrupt.
In the investigation into Thitisan after his arrest, authorities found that he lived in a luxury home in Bangkok, and estimated that he had amassed a fortune of at least 42 cars.
One of them was a rare Lamborghini Aventador Anniversario, of which only 100 were made, priced in Thailand at 47 million baht ($1.3m; £1.1m) - about a thousand times more than his monthly salary.
A police chief known as "Joe Ferrari" was among six police officers sentenced to life imprisonment for the torture death of a suspect.
The viral video showing the torture of a drug suspect caused outrage in Thailand and highlighted police brutality
A Thai court on Wednesday sentenced six police officers to life imprisonment for torturing and killing a drug suspect during an interrogation last year.
The case caused outrage in Thailand and provided a glimpse of the level of police brutality critics say is carried out on a regular basis.
Among the officers sentenced was police Superintendent Thitisan Utthanaphon, also known as "Joe Ferrari," whose opulent lifestyle is also under investigation.
Viral torture video exposed abuse
Utthanaphon was arrested along with the other officers in August after a video of the interrogation went viral.
The clip showed the interrogation of a 24-year-old drug suspect whose head was wrapped with seven plastic bags while being questioned.
The officers had also tried to extort $60,000 (€54,800) during the interrogation. The man died as a result of the torture.
Human rights groups say that police brutality remains a challenge in Thailand
The court had initially sentenced the policemen to death, but that was commuted to life sentences because attempts had been made to revive the suspect according to court records.
Utthanaphon was a police chief in Nakhon Sawan province and is also under investigation over the extent of his wealth. Luxury cars including a Lamborghini and Ferrari were discovered in a raid at his Bangkok residence.
Utthanaphon was arrested along with the other officers in August after a video of the interrogation went viral.
The clip showed the interrogation of a 24-year-old drug suspect whose head was wrapped with seven plastic bags while being questioned.
The officers had also tried to extort $60,000 (€54,800) during the interrogation. The man died as a result of the torture.
Human rights groups say that police brutality remains a challenge in Thailand
The court had initially sentenced the policemen to death, but that was commuted to life sentences because attempts had been made to revive the suspect according to court records.
Utthanaphon was a police chief in Nakhon Sawan province and is also under investigation over the extent of his wealth. Luxury cars including a Lamborghini and Ferrari were discovered in a raid at his Bangkok residence.
Human rights observers skeptical of any change
Human rights groups said the verdict was an important development, but that abuse of power remains a significant challenge.
Phil Robertson is the deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch and told AFP news agency that the sentencing of the officers was an "exceptional" case in Thailand.
"For every case like this, there are dozens more where police torture is covered up and victims and whistleblowers face retaliation, and police impunity to commit abuses is alive and well," Robertson said.
"This case may have put a temporary dent in the culture of police impunity in Thailand, but you can be sure that the overall system has not changed," he added.
kb/rs (Reuters, AFP)
Human rights groups said the verdict was an important development, but that abuse of power remains a significant challenge.
Phil Robertson is the deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch and told AFP news agency that the sentencing of the officers was an "exceptional" case in Thailand.
"For every case like this, there are dozens more where police torture is covered up and victims and whistleblowers face retaliation, and police impunity to commit abuses is alive and well," Robertson said.
"This case may have put a temporary dent in the culture of police impunity in Thailand, but you can be sure that the overall system has not changed," he added.
kb/rs (Reuters, AFP)
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