OM: Withdrawing confession from Koh Tao murders irrelevant
The retraction of the confessions of the two suspects in the Koh Tao murder case does not affect the position of the Public Prosecution Service. The Public Prosecution Service attaches more value to witness statements and evidence than to a confession, whether or not withdrawn.
The director-general of the Office of Public Prosecution Region 8, Thawatchai Siangjaew, said the decision to charge the two Myanmar migrant workers will be based primarily on forensic evidence and statements from doctors.
Yesterday, the Public Prosecution Service received a petition from the Lawyers Council of Thailand (LCT) stating that the confession should be withdrawn.
According to the Myanmarese, they were tortured and therefore confessed. The two deny killing the two Britons.
Police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri, however, insists that they have not been tortured or forced to confess. According to him, three doctors from different organizations found no evidence of abuse during their investigation.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), on the other hand, is urging renewed medical investigations for signs of abuse. According to the director general of the Department of Corrections, a court order is required. He says representatives from the Myanmar embassy, the LCT and the NHRC can visit the two suspects in prison. "This proves we have nothing to hide."
Yesterday the parents arrived in Thailand (picture above and homepage). The father of one of the suspects thanked the government of Myanmar and organizations in Thailand, who made their arrival possible, for insisting on due process and due process. He called on the Thai authorities to make the right decision in this matter. "My son is a good boy."
The Public Prosecution Service is now waiting for the final report from the police. The Public Prosecution Service has asked the police to provide additional information after an initial report was submitted. This was 90 percent complete.
(Source: bangkok mail, October 23, 2014)
This will be a show trial.
The whole world is watching and the Public Prosecution Service is going to show how good the investigation is. The judge makes a decision that is 'fair': they are sentenced but the request for clemency is already ready and after a few months those boys are home. So no one loses face except the truth.
But….didn't they also have a number of people in the Netherlands who were wrongfully imprisoned due to tunnel vision, coercion during interrogation and incompetent witnesses? How many processes have not been revised by order of the Supreme Court in recent years?
Erik,
That's how it will go. Everyone happy with saving face. There will probably also be an amount to Myanmar.
And yes, things sometimes go wrong in the Netherlands (Puttense murder, Anja de B and a few more). So that things sometimes go wrong here (in Thailand)…..
The thing is, they can still change their minds now. or rectify the mistakes Do they really feel guilty - then condemn them - but I think they are not guilty . Then realize that and make amends for your mistake – even if there is a huge loss of face at stake.
Don't judge the innocent! Look before you leap.
Dyna,
In theory you are right. But yes, the reality is often a bit more unruly. And…. loss of face, especially if it turns out to be Thai perpetrator(s). Bad for tourism and such. And it really won't be the first time an innocent person is convicted.
If it is true that a hand has already been clapped, the UK will also respond. After all, two Britons were still gruesomely murdered.
But the fault still lies with the Thai. They already did not allow American experts from the FBI. Strange, because Thailand often cooperates with the US in the military field…