2023-09-25 12:09:14
The Thai Police launched an investigation this Monday for alleged corruption against the deputy director of the force, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, in charge of supervising the investigations against the Spanish Daniel Sancho for the murder of the Colombian Edwin Arrieta.
A group of agents searched Hakparn’s residence in Bangkok this morning to search for evidence related to the alleged bribery of around 140 million baht ($3.89 million or 3.65 million euros) from an illegal online gambling group. , reported the state media Thai PBS.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin told reporters that an independent investigation would be carried out into the case.
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The head of the Police Cybercrime Department, Worawat Watnakombancha, later acknowledged in statements to journalists that they had not found any incriminating evidence against Surachate, known in the media by his nickname Big Joke.
(Also read: Edwin Arrieta’s family explodes and announces strategy to defend the doctor’s dignity)
There was no arrest warrant for Surachate, but there was for several of his subordinates, which led to the arrest of five police officers and 9 civilians allegedly involved in the case of alleged bribery by a group led by Phongsiri “Boss Than” Tharacawongsuk, former president of the Thai football club Lamphun Warriors.
Surachate, one of the four deputy directors of the Police and known for his high media profile, assured journalists after the search that he is innocent and attributed the investigation to an attempt to discredit him.
“I have worked on many cases, this may have affected,” said the police chief in reference to the investigations undertaken by him.
The deputy police chief indicated that his name did not appear on the search warrant, but only the address, which he attributed to an attempt to confuse the court.
The investigation occurs at a time when the authorities must elect the number one of the Police, a position for which Big Joke was considered in the options, although this Monday he denied that he was going to run for the position.
It is not the first time that the figure of Big Joke has been the protagonist of a controversy, since in 2019 he was removed from the Police without further explanation and a year later, when he was head of immigration, his car was shot at.
Surachate has been the visible face of the body during the investigation against Daniel Sancho for the murder of Arrieta last August on the island of Phangan.
(You may be interested in: Sancho prison director reveals details of his detention: visits and cutting of his hair)
The Spaniard, son of actor Rodolfo Sancho and grandson of Sancho Gracia, was arrested on August 5, when he confessed to the murder and dismemberment of the Colombian at the police station on the tourist island of Phangan (south) and was then transferred to neighboring Samui.
The Thai Police are still working on the investigation of the case, for which they have a period of 84 days from Sancho’s entry into provisional prison on August 7.
Once the investigation is completed, the Police must submit a report to the Samui Prosecutor’s Office, from which point a trial date can be set.
(Also: Daniel Sancho Case: Edwin Arrieta’s family seeks lawyers in Thailand for the trial)
Sancho and Arrieta met last year through Instagram and had met in Phangan on August 2, the day on which the surgeon’s murder supposedly took place, whose remains were found in various locations on the island, including the sea.
The Spaniard appeared last Friday without a lawyer for the first time before a Thai judge in the district of Samui in a telematic hearing to extend his provisional detention.
*With EFE
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