Former cop who exposed police corruption shot dead
published : 20 Mar 2019 at 08:58
writer: Gary Boyle
ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: Assawin Pakkawan
SONGKHLA: A former police senior investigator who accused some former colleagues of abuse of authority and extortion was shot dead in front of his house in Muang district on Tuesday afternoon.
The murder occurred outside house 154/39 on Soi Prasanmit 2 in tambon Khao Roop Chang about 2pm.
The victim was Pol Capt Watcharin Benjathotsawat, 48, a former deputy investigative superintendent at Songkhla police headquarters.
He was shot three times, the bullets hitting his torso and chin, after parking his car at his house. Rescue workers gave him emergency aid and rushed him to Songkhla Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Police said according to witnesses there were at least two people in the black Toyota Vios that followed him to his house. After Pol Capt Watcharin parked his car, a person got out of the black car and shot him through the car door at point-blank range. The gunman got back in the car, which sped away. Police called to the scene said there were three bullet holes in the car door.
Pol Capt Watcharin had been working with volunteer lawyers to help crime victims who had allegedly not been treated fairly by police.
He had shared accusations via live Facebook posts and they included allegations of extortion at police checkpoints, police misconduct and abuse of authority.
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Vocabulary
- abuse of authority: the use of power in a bad, dishonest or unlawful way - การใช้อำนาจในทางที่ผิด
- accusation: a statement that someone has done something wrong or illegal even though this has not been proved - ข้อกล่าวหา
- extortion: the crime of trying to obtain something by force or threat - การขู่กรรโชก รีดไถ
- fairly: to some degree, but not completely or extremely - พอควร
- misconduct: unacceptable or bad behaviour by someone in a position of authority or responsibility - การประพฤติผิด
- point-blank: touching or very close to the person or thing it is aimed at - ซึ่งยิงในระยะใกล้, ซึ่งเป็นระยะเผาขน
- pronounced dead: officially confirmed to have died -
- torso: the main part of the body, not including the head, arms or legs - ลำตัว