Air force officer seeks protection after drugs acquittal

An air force officer, acquitted by the Criminal Court on a drugs charge, has sought protection from the Justice Ministry after insisting someone planted narcotics in his vehicle, which led to his prosecution.

Flight Sergeant 1st Class Apichat Kamsri had his car searched by police officers on June 6 last year, when 30 grammes of crystal methamphetamine, or ya ice, was found in the vehicle. He insisted the narcotics did not belong to him and must have been planted by others.

FS 1 Apichat spent seven months and six days behind bars until the court acquitted him of the charge on Tuesday.

His lawyer Sittha Biabangkerd and relatives earlier said he was set up after personal conflicts with an influential figure he had earlier worked with.

Speaking to a TV programme, FS 1 Apichat said he worked as a bodyguard for a businessman in June 2016. He said he later found that part of the work involved an illicit business so he decided to quit the job without informing his boss.

He said the businessman later searched for him and approached his father, alleging that he had stolen 1.7 million baht.

FS 1 Apichat and his lawyer yesterday met deputy permanent secretary for justice Tawatchai Thaikyo to seek protection.

Mr Tawatchai said he must wait for prosecutors to decide whether they will appeal the court’s ruling. If no appeal is made, it would put an end to the case and FS 1 Apichat would be eligible for compensation for his detention, he said, adding it is likely that the victim would receive more than 60,000 baht in compensation.

FS 1 Apichat would be asked to write a petition for compensation and ministry officials will examine it when the case comes to an end.

Referring to his request for protection and the prosecution of those who planted the drugs in his vehicle, Mr Tawatchai said the ministry needs time to consider all the facts and suggested this may take two weeks.

Mr Sittha said a petition has also been lodged with prosecutors, asking them not to appeal the case. FS 1 Apichat, he said, is worried about his safety and he wants to seek protection from the Justice Ministry.

The extent to which protection will be offered will be made by the ministry, he noted. If an appeal is lodged with the Appeal Court, the result is likely to remain unaltered as the evidence will remain the same as that used when the case was heard by the lower court.

Mr Sittha said the evidence provided by the state’s witness, who was said to have supplied information to police which led to the air force officer’s arrest, was highly dubious. This informant cannot be identified and did not show up at the hearing.

The lawyer and FS 1 Apichat also met Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief Paisit Wongmuang to talk about prosecuting those responsible for setting him up.

Pol Col Paisit said the DSI is examining the evidence in the case and local police have also been very cooperative.

An investigation is being carried out to determine whether FS 1 Apichat’s former boss was involved in the offence.