KHON KAEN: The provincial court on Tuesday convicted Pheu Thai MP for Khon Kaen Nawat Tohcharoensuk of masterminding a murder six years ago.
Police said at the Khon Kaen Court that the court found Nawat, 52, guilty of hiring other defendants, including two former policemen, to shoot dead Suchart Khotethum, then assistant chief of the Khon Kaen provincial administration organisation.
The victim was shot dead in front of his home in Muang district of Khon Kaen on May 3, 2013, as he was about to leave for work.
The court found Nawat guilty as charged and sentenced him to death. The court also ordered Nawat to pay 300,000 baht in compensation for the funeral costs of the dead man.
The ruling was based on witnesses' testimony, forensic evidence and phone calls, he said.
The Khon Kaen provincial court found that Nawat ordered the murder because the victim had an affair with his wife. On the eve of the murder, Pol Snr Sgt Maj Veerasak Channanpol, former head of a crime suppression squad of Nong Rua police station in Khon Kaen, Pol Lt Col Somjit Kaewprom, former deputy superintendent of Nong Rua police and Prapan Sripilai met Nawat at his home in Muang district of Khon Kaen. Then the three traveled past the victim's home and Prapan was sent to Nawat's home.
The court also found that Nawat and Pol Lt Col Somjit communicated via several phone calls before, on and after the murder date. Suchart was shot dead with several rounds of ammunition.
Nawat used to run a construction business in Nong Rua district of Khon Kaen and was an executive of the Khon Kaen provincial administrative organisation.
Nawat is also accused of physical assault on fellow Pheu Thai MP Yutthapong Charasathien at their party headquarters on Sept 10.
