The taxi driver who is a key witness in the alleged abduction and assault of a woman linked to ex-CIB chief Pongpat Chayapan said he saw nothing irregular while the woman and her alleged abductor were in his car, police said.
Chanita Kinnis, 38, told police she was kidnapped by a man armed with a knife from in front of Central Ram Intra department store in Bangkok on Friday night and was taken to a golf course in Samut Prakan’s Bang Bo district. She was then assaulted, passed out and later sought help from a security guard at the course after regaining consciousness.
Ms Chanit was found with her hands tied and bruising on her neck.
In her initial account to police, Ms Chanita said a man wearing black sunglasses, cap and a jacket forced her into a black car with another man inside. The men took her to Soi Ram Intra 14 where they hailed a taxi and escorted her to the golf course.
Pol Col Akradej Pimolsri, the acting commander of the Crime Suppression Division, said investigators are still gathering evidence and witness accounts. He said Ms Chanita’s statement contradicted those of the taxi driver, Pracha Pongsai, and the security guard.
Ms Chanita said she was hit with a hard object while in the black car but remained conscious. She was sandwiched by the two alleged abductors in the back seat of the taxi and later met a third man at the golf course, the officer said.
Mr Pracha said he picked up Ms Chanita and another man from Soi Ram Intra 14 and the woman told him to drive to the golf course. The man sat beside him and Ms Chanita was in the back seat. Mr Pracha said he saw nothing to suggest Ms Chanita had been assaulted or forced to enter his vehicle while driving to the destination. Ms Chanita even paid the fare herself, he added.
Pol Col Akradej said examination of security footage at the department store also showed that Ms Chanita appeared to walk to the black car without being forced.
Ms Chanita is under police and military guard in Phra Mongkut Klao hospital. Doctors said she was in a safe and stable condition. Pol Col Akradej said the doctors had allowed investigators to question her but declined to elaborate further as the investigation was ongoing.
According to her initial accounts to police, Ms Chanita was abducted while on her way to the Anti-Money Laundering Office, where she had an appointment with officials. She told police she and her mother were associates of disgraced former Central Investigation Bureau chief Pongpat Chayapan, whose assets were seized by authorities after his involvement in a criminal network was uncovered.
She said her assets were also frozen and she had gone to meet Amlo officials to talk about the case. She did not go into detail about her relationship with Pongpat, apart from saying that her mother had done business with him.
Pol Col Akradej said he believed the case likely had nothing to do with the Pongpat criminal network.