Police are confident in the strength of their case against Praween Chanklai, also known as ‘Kamnan Nok,’ the primary suspect in the murder of a highway police officer – a case that could potentially result in capital punishment, commented Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) head Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej.
He stated that the available evidence substantiates the claim that the suspect ordered the assassination of Pol Maj Sivakorn Saibua, despite the fact that some footage from surveillance cameras remains unrecovered.
At the residence of Mr. Praween, a total of 15 surveillance cameras were operational, and following the incident where Pol Maj Sivakorn lost his life and Pol Lt Col Wasin Pandee was injured, two CCTV servers were extracted and disposed of in a canal.
Upon the successful recovery of the servers, investigators managed to meticulously restore and analyze footage from 13 strategically positioned surveillance units.
“The evidence we have points to Mr Praween as the mastermind. Witness statements, circumstantial evidence like the gun, the destruction of evidence and the motive are key components we have to get him the death sentence”, he stated.
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop stated that the police are committed to compiling comprehensive evidence to build an irrefutable case, given the blatant disregard for the law exhibited by the suspect and his associates.
He indicated that the investigative team is expediting scrutiny into Mr. Praween’s commercial ventures to ascertain the source of his wealth and to establish if he engaged in market manipulation or tax evasion.
The CIB chief commanded the force to accumulate intel on prominent individuals in Nakhon Pathom, setting the stage for a forthcoming operation to eliminate mafia-like gangs.
On Friday evening, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, deputy national police chief, unveiled video snapshots captured before and subsequent to the incident.
“Most police at the party were armed but didn’t try to intervene. Some aided the culprits and some senior officers fled the scene,” reported Pol Gen Surachate. He declared that the motive was apparent — the defendant harbored a deep-seated resentment.
Concerning the final two surveillance devices, one malfunctioned on August 23, while the other was deactivated at 10:16am on the day the fatal event occurred.
