The fourth official also involved in the issuing of the land document was named as former Phuket Land Office chief Tawatchai Anukul, who was found hanged in a cell at the DSI headquarters in Bangkok in August last year, reported Post Today. (See story here.)
Speaking to media yesterday (Oct 9), DSI Deputy Chief Lt Col Prawut Wongsrinil said, “The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases (CCCM) has now delivered their judgement on the illegal issuing of a land document for a six-rai plot of land connected to Laypang Beach in Moo 4 Cherng Talay.
“The owner of the land and officials were all found guilty of being involved in illegally issuing land title deed No.21047 which was later sold on to another person for B330mn,” he said.
Col Prawut explained, “This is a special case for the DSI as four government officials were accused of illegal action. Those four were former Cherng Talay Kamnan (Tambon Chief) Sommit Seubsin, former Phuket Land Office surveyor Narong Aunseam, former Phuket Land Office Chief Surveyor Yuhard Pattanasuree and former Phuket Land Office chief Tawatchai Anukul.
“All four of these officials were proven to have signed their name on the illegal land title deed.
“The other person involved in this case was the person who was issued the original illegal land document, Suppakorn Daechopanang. He and the Land Office officials faced legal action for land encroachment and laundering,” Col Prawut said.
In sentencing, the judge handed down a sentence of five years imprisonment for Narong, three years and four months imprisonment for Sommit, and four years imprisonment for Yuhard, which was reduced to two years due to his confession.
The court also ordered that the land title deed, a Chanote, be revoked as evidence presented in court proved that the SorKor 1 land document presented to obtain the Chanote in fact related to another plot of land.
That other plot of land, which is connected to the land in question, was also illegal as it is home to the Layan Forest Protection Unit of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).
The land is about a seven rai plot which would have a value of over B500mn.