The Crime Suppression Division (CSD) expects to wrap up an investigation into the killing of the brother of a senior judge by next week, saying the police team probing the case had secured solid evidence to have the six suspects, including former deputy commerce minister Pol Lt Col Banyin Tangpakorn, prosecuted.
A few more witnesses are still to be questioned before the investigation can be concluded in the coming week, said CSD chief Pol Maj Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, on Friday.
About 50 witnesses had already been questioned and an official DNA test result on fragments of a human skull found in a deserted area of Nakhon Sawan, believed to be those of Wirachai Sakuntaprasoet, were expected to be known in the coming week as well, he said.
Wirachai was the older brother of Bangkok South Criminal Court judge Phanida Sakuntaprasoet, who is hearing a case in which Pol Lt Col Banyin is accused of forging documents to transfer 300 million baht worth of shares owned by his friend, businessman Chuwong Sae Tang. Chuwong was killed in a 2015 road crash in a car driven by Pol Lt Col Banyin, who is being tried for his alleged murder.
In Nakhon Sawan, a team of four police divers yesterday found a red plastic bag believed to be the one kidnappers had told investigators about. They allegedly put Wirachai's remains in the bag before dumping it in the Chao Phraya River, a source said.
The bag in question was found about 1.5 kilometres from the spot where the suspects said they had thrown it into the river, said the same source, adding that the suspects had confessed to putting bone fragments of the victim into the bag after burning Wirachai's body.
Wirachai was kidnapped by four men on Feb 4.