A 28-year-old former factory worker is seeking compensation from the authorities after serving three years in jail for a crime he did not commit -- an undeserved punishment he claims cost him his family.
Niran (surname withheld) said he was deliberately scapegoated by local police and charged with attempted murder despite refusing to brawl with three teenagers who challenged him one day while he was going to visit a friend.
He said the encounter occurred on Aug 21, 2018, but no physical scuffle ensued. Nonetheless, police arrested him one year later at his factory and charged him with attempted murder.
He was then sentenced to an 11-year jail term, but the Supreme Court dismissed the case last September, and he was released.
Niran met on Monday morning with Ekapop Luengprasert, an adviser to the interior minister and founder of the Sai Mai Tong Rod Facebook page, to seek legal redress.
He claimed that while he was incarcerated, his wife took his two children and moved in with her new boyfriend.
He requested compensation from the Ministry of Justice, but this was declined on the basis that he was released due to insufficient evidence, which, according to the law, does not make him eligible for compensation.
Mr Ekapop suggested the Ministry of Justice change the law to compensate those imprisoned due to a false conviction if the Supreme Court rules they are no longer guilty.
He said that even today, cases of people being scapegoated by the police are far too rampant.