CSD arrests 7 over woman’s faked death
Convict’s daughter ‘wanted to help mum’
The Crime Suppression Division (CSD) yesterday arrested seven suspects for their alleged involvement in forging the death certificate of Juree Jan-ngam, who faked her death to escape a jail term.
The seven suspects are Sompote Nuanprom, 49, a village chief; Mr Sompote’s wife, Nijjaya Nuanprom, 46; public health official Kasama Thongsuk, 52; former acting abbot Surat Kleebamrung, 42; rescue worker Jarin Hayeetapom, 38; and Juree’s daughters Rassamee Jan-ngam, 39, and Kanthira Jan-ngam, 44.
CSD commander Akkaradech Pimolsri said the first five suspects were apprehended in Chumphon. They all denied the allegations. Ms Rassamee and Ms Kanthira turned themselves in yesterday.
Police said Ms Rassamee admitted she masterminded Juree’s faked death, claiming she wanted to help her mother because Juree was treated unfairly during the trial.
All of them were accused of colluding in forging the death certificate of Juree, 72, who arranged the contract killing of her son’s fiancee, Riewprae Chotikarn, in Songkhla in 2007.
Riewprae, who was three months pregnant, and her assistant, Adison Pratheeptas, were gunned down at a clinic in Khuan Niang district 16 days before her wedding to Wikrom Jan-ngam, 36, Juree’s son.
Police later detained Narin Janchay, who confessed Juree paid him 500,000 baht to murder her future daughter-in-law. The Court of First Instance sentenced Juree and Narin to death. Both suspects appealed but the lower court’s judgement was upheld.
Juree was later released on 5-million-baht bail posted by Ms Rassamee while the case was taken to the Supreme Court.
In February l ast year, Ms Rassamee claimed to the Songkhla Provincial Court that Juree had died of heart failure in Chumphon’s Tha Sae district, saying that the body was cremated at Wat Maneesop in Muang district.
Ms Rassamee submitted a death certificate issued by Tha Sae district authorities to receive a refund of the bail guarantee.
However, Ruedeemas Singmanee, Riewprae’s mother, lodged a complaint with the CSD, insisting Juree was still alive. Provincial prosecutors asked the court to launch a probe into Juree’s death.
Prosecutors also brought six witnesses to the court — an assistant district chief; the officer notified of the death; a temple undertaker; Mr Surat; Mr Surat’s assistant; and a police investigator. They said no cremation rite was ever held for Juree and none of them had seen her body.
Juree’s death certificate was issued by Tha Sae district based solely on the guarantee document from Mr Sompote, a village chief of Moo 2 in tambon Na Kra Tam of Tha Sae district.
Pol Maj Gen Akkaradech said Ms Rassamee initially reported Juree’s fake death to Mr Sompote and Ms Kasama, a public health officer at Na Kra Tam Tambon Health Promoting Hospital.
Ms Rassamee later submitted the document issued by Mr Sompote to Tha Sae authorities in order to obtain Juree’s death certificate.
Ms Rassamee and Ms Kanthira also allegedly told Mr Surat to sign off a counterfeit document certifying Juree’s cremation which was forged by Mr Jarin.
The court ruled Juree faked her death so she could jump bail. The Supreme Court later ruled in her absence, finding her guilty but commuting the death sentence to life in jail. Narin remains on death row.
Juree surrendered on Nov 17.