Pongpat gets another 9 months
The Criminal Court has sentenced former Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) chief Pol Lt Gen Pongpat Chayapan and a couple linked to his alleged criminal network to nine months in prison for possessing illegal timber.
The court sentencing yesterday concluded the second of four criminal cases which Pol Lt Gen Pongpat is facing.
On Jan 30, the Criminal Court sentenced Pol Lt Gen Pongpat and his exdeputy, Pol Maj Gen Kowit Wongrungroj, to six years in prison for lese majeste and their involvement in illegal casinos.
The court will rule on the other two cases on Feb 23.
In court yesterday, the 59-year-old former CIB chief, Sawong Mungthiang, 54, and her husband, Ruangsak Saknarongdech, 57, were sentenced for violating the 1941 Forest Act.
The cour t found they were jointly in possession of 68 ching chan (Dalbergia oliveri) logs without permission from Nov 20 to Dec 11 last year. The three had earlier confessed to the crime.
The judges initially gave the accused 18 months but commuted the prison terms to nine months because they admitted the offences, agreed not to have a lawyer represent them, and said they would not appeal against the sentence.
In the third court case, in which the court will rule on Feb 23, Pol Lt Gen Pongpat, Pol Maj Gen Kowit, and former chief of the Marine Police Division Pol Maj Gen Boonsueb Phraithuean, 55, will stand trial for allegedly demanding bribes, committing malfeasance, and other lese majeste charges.
The three are accused of demanding bribes from oil smuggling gangs between February 2012 and 2014 and citing the monarchy to force the gangs into giving them the money.
In the fourth case, Pol Lt Gen Pongpat, Pol Maj Gen Kowit, Pol Maj Gen Boonsueb, Pol Snr Sgt Maj Surasak Channgao and Pol Snr Sgt Maj Chattrin Laothong are accused of demanding cash from police officers wanting promotions.