Court to rule in Premchai black-leopard trial on Tuesday

Court to rule in Premchai black-leopard trial on Tuesday

Construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta, centre, will be at the Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court on Tuesday for judgement in the black leopard poaching case. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)
Construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta, centre, will be at the Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court on Tuesday for judgement in the black leopard poaching case. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)

Attention will focus on Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court on Tuesday, when judges will deliver their ruling in the black-leopard poaching trial of construction billionaire Premchai Karnasuta and his associates.

The court, in Thong Pha Phum district of Kanchanaburi, is braced for overwhelming media coverage of  this most closely watched case

All four defendants were expected to appear in the court to hear the ruling -- one year, one month, two weeks and one day after their arrest.

Mr Premchai, the boss of Italian-Thai Development Plc, Yong Dodkhruea, Nathee Riamsaen and Thanee Thummat were arraigned by the Office of Public Prosecution Region 7 in April on six charges, acting through prosecutors in Thong Pha Phum.

The charges were filed after the four were arrested by park officials on Feb 4 of last year in the Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary, in Thong Pha Phum, in possession of firearms and the carcasses of a rare black leopard and other protected animals.

Their arrest sparked a public outcry and several rallies against Mr Premchai, including a protest outside the ITD head office in Bangkok.

All defendants denied the charges and fought them in court.

Thong Pha Phum police chief Pol Col Chumphol Leksuntarakorn said on Monday strict controls will be enforced at the court on Tuesday.

Defence counsel Witoon Praiyaem, for Mr Premchai, said his client will arrive at the court at 9am to hear the judgement. (continues below)

Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul on Thursday expressed confidence that the case brought by prosecutors was solid and sufficient to nail Mr Premchai and other defendants.

"We are confident about taking action against Mr Premchai. Police and prosecutors agreed on the indictment submitted to court," the lead investigator in the case said.

Sasin Chalermlarp, chairman of the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation, posted a message on his Facebook account on Monday reminding the public of the ruling due on Tuesday.

"The answer will come tomorrow after we have been kept waiting for one year. We are asking for justice for the black leopard," he wrote.

He also posted on his account on Feb 2, marking the first anniversary of the arrests, that the public were still following the case and were strongly opposed to the defendants' actions in the park last year.

The black leopard case is not the only one against the construction magnate. He and Mr Yong were also  indicted on a bribery charge last year, and released. Wichian Chinnawaong, the Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary chief, lodged the petition with the police Counter-Corruption Division.

The court has set June 11 for a ruling on the bribery case.

Mr Premchai, his wife Khannita and another associate, Wandee Somphum, were also indicted for possession of two pairs of African elephant tusks in April last year after a search of his house in Huai Khwang district in February. They also pleaded not guilty.

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