PATTANI: A man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing three soldiers while two others got four years each for inciting unrest and separatism in three separate cases.
Col Pramote Prom-in, spokesman of the Internal Security Operation Command Region 4, held a briefing on the rulings on Thursday.
He said the Pattani court on Dec 28-29 last year sentenced Zufiyan Sni to life in prison after finding him guilty in an attack by 7-8 men on security officers and people in tambon La Nga, Mayo district, in late March. Three soldiers died and one civilian was injured.
When Mr Zufiyan was arrested on March 31, security officials seized from him two pistols and the SIM cards of the dead soldiers. Forensic examinations found the guns had been used in the attack and also in a shooting of a civilian in tambon Palas, Mayo district, earlier, he said.
Two other men were also handed a four-year jail term in two separate cases last week, Col Pramote said.
Rooslan Tooyong was found guilty after his DNA was found on a separatist banner put up in Yarang district in March 2013.
Akkaradej Sni was found guilty of illegal association as his DNA was found on the documents on terrorism and separatism seized when he was arrested at an Islamic school in tambon Por Ming, Panare district, in March.
“The three convicts were under six arrest warrants and had been involved in several fatal incidents,” Col Pramote said.
The cases were among several being deliberated by the court while others had been dismissed for lack of evidence.
“We still offer an opportunity to those who want to end the violence by joining our “Bring People Home” project for sustainable peace. Those interested can contact us around the clock,” he concluded.