Killer cop ‘Joe Ferrari’ sentenced to life in prison
The Bangkok Corruption and Misconduct Court sentenced former police officer Thitisan Utthanaphon, alias Joe Ferrari, to death before commuting his sentence.
Thitisan was the police chief of Nakhon Sawan in central Thailand, responsible for the torture and death of a suspected drug trafficker in August last year.
See: Video shows police torturing and killing a man in Thailand
The court ruled today (8 June) that Thitisan’s actions carried the death penalty, although that sentence was commuted to life in prison.
He was sentenced along with 6 other officers: Raveeroj Ditthon, Songyot Klainak, Thanin Masawanna, Wisut Boonkiew and Paweekorn Kammaraw, who were charged with intentional murder by « dangerous torture ».
The 6 officers were also initially sentenced to death, but the sentences were reduced to life in prison because they sent the victim to the hospital.
Another suspect, Supakorn Nimchoen, was not charged with murder, but with « abuse of office ».
He was sentenced to 7 years in prison, but the sentence was reduced to 5 years and 4 months.
Thitisan was filmed during the violent interrogation of a suspect in an alleged drug case, during which the commissioner and his subordinates placed 6 plastic bags over the man’s head and tied his hands in the back, which resulted in his suffocation to death.
Video of the botched interrogation and torture has gone viral, shocking viewers with the violent treatment of a suspect by police.
See: ‘Joe Ferrari’ case sheds light on police corruption in Thailand
CCTV footage from the police station was leaked by a junior officer.
The 39-year-old former police chief and six other officers have been arrested and charged in connection with the investigation.
Thitisan is also under investigation for his role in the seizure, resale and possession of high-end cars.
The former police chief was nicknamed « Joe Ferrari » because of his collection of luxury vehicles.
His assets, which were seized as part of the investigation, also include a 57 million baht mansion in Bangkok.
In total, investigators seized property worth 130 million baht (3.5 million euros), including 24 cars worth 70 million baht, an apartment worth 1, 5 million baht and 18 guns worth 720,000 baht.
See: Joe Ferrari: The luxurious life of Thailand’s controversial ex-police chief
Source: The Thaiger
