Superintendent Jo: It’s Manslaughter

BANGKOK, Aug 27 (TNA) – Pol Col Thitisan Utthanaphon, former superintendent of the Muang Nakhon Sawan police station, said he did not intend to kill a drug suspect while trying to get information to tackle a big drug racket to help his people.

Pol Col Thitisan aka “Superintendent Jo” surrendered finally in Chon Buri province after being at large when video clips showing he tortured the drug suspect to death went viral early this week.

The Royal Thai Police Office held a press conference and arranged for his phone conversation with reporters during which he denied he was trying to extort 2 million baht from the suspect but said he was demanding information to axe narcotic business for the sake of people in Nakhon Sawan. He said he apologized for the manslaughter.

Pol Col Thitisan said the drug suspect whom he handled was part of a big racket because the suspect had one kilogram of crystal methamphetamine and nearly 20,000 methamphetamine pills.

He said he had to cover the suspect’s head with six bags because he did not want the suspect to see his face. Besides, he had his subordinates handcuff the suspect behind the back because the suspect tried to tear the bags. He said he had never taken such action against a suspect.

Covered with plastic bags, the suspect passed out and his breathing was shallow. Pol Col Thitisan said he then ordered his subordinates to resuscitate the suspect and send the suspect to hospital.

Pol Col Thitinan said he did not intend to kill the suspect and assumed that the suspect died because he had lacked sleep and heavily abused drugs. He promised to take sole responsibility, saying his subordinates only followed his orders.

Reporters asked why he told subordinates to remove CCTV at his station after the incident. Pol Col Thitinan said he was shocked with the incident and some security cameras there had been out of order anyway.

In the press conference Pol Gen Suwat Jangyodsuk, commissioner of the Royal Thai Police Office, said he would not protect any wrongdoer and he apologized for the incident. (TNA)