The Supreme Court on Tuesday commuted death-penalty sentences for two of the four people convicted of conspiring to murder Australian auditor Michael Wansley in Nakhon Sawan 16 years ago.
Kaset Thai Sugar Co executive Somchok Suthiwiriwan and accomplice Sompong Buasakul saw their sentences reduced to life in prison for supporting the killing of Wansley, head auditor of South Sathon Planner Co.
Wansley and others were travelling in a van to Kaset Thai Sugar on March 10, 1999 when two men on a motorcycle pulled alongside and shot him. The Australian had earlier asked to meet management of the debt-ridden sugar mill after he uncovered alleged financial irregularities in the company's books.
Former Kaset Thai Sugar Co executive Somchok Sutthiwiriwan (left) and accomplice Sompong Buasakul, as seen in 2001 at the time of their arrest. (Bangkok Post file photos)
Fellow Kaset Thai executives Boonphan Suthiwiriwan and Pradit Siriwiriyakul were accused, along with Somchok and Sompong, of masterminding the murder of 58-year-old Australian.
In September 2006, the Criminal Court sentenced Boonphan to life, condemned Somchok and Sompong to death and acquitted Pradit. The public prosecutors and co-plaintiffs then appealed to have Pradit punished while the three other defendants appealed for acquittal.
The Appeals Court in July 2012 upheld the lower-court rulings, handing down the life sentence to Boonphan and death sentences to Somchok and Sompong. The court also upheld the acquittal of Pradit, citing weakness in evidence against him.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday reduced the death sentence for Somchok and Sompong on the grounds that they only supported the murder of Wansley. The life sentence on Boonphan and the acquittal of Pradit were upheld.