Phuket masseuse says wrongly convicted of theft, seeks help from Court of Appeal

PHUKET: A 32-year-old Thai woman from Ratchaburi province who has received a 10-year sentence for theft from Trang Provincial Court is seeking assistance from the Region 8 Court of Appeal in Phuket as she says she has been wrongly convicted in the case.

Ms Phawitra Konggompon, 32, says she has been wrongly convicted of theft and sentenced to 10 years in jail. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

At around midday yesterday (Feb 10), Ms Phawitra Konggompon, 32, who currently works at a spa in Karon, visited the Region 8 Court of Appeal to hand over documents which she says prove she has been wrongly convicted of theft in a case dating back to 2011.

A representative of the court, Mr Chayathip Chitluag, received the documents on the court’s behalf.

Explaining her story, Ms Phawitra said, “I need help because I have been wrongly convicted of theft and was sentenced to 10 years in prison on April 2, 2016. I was accused of stealing necklaces and amulets worth over B700,000 from a customer of a restaurant where I worked in Trang.

“I need the help of the Court of Appeal in appealing my conviction because I have to take care of my young son and I have not got the money for a lawyer to help me fight my case,” she said.

“I have come here to the Court of Appeal so that they can examine the evidence I have again. Evidence includes CCTV images which officers from Hat Samran Police Station in Trang say proves I was the thief.

“However, the woman seen in this image is not me. Furthermore, fingerprints taken from the scene are not mine,” Ms Phawitra said.

“I have already asked police to recheck the evidence but they have not made any progress in doing this.

“I would also like to have to opportunity to see the victim in this case as I have never seen this person before. Even on the day I was convicted the victim was asked to identify me as the thief, but this was done via a video link,” she added.

“This whole issue dates back to 2011 when I was employed at a restaurant in Trang and an arrest warrant was issued by Hat Samran Police Station after a customer of the restaurant had B700,000 worth of valuables stolen.

“Police have never been able to find anyone responsible for the theft so last year they decided to arrest me and say I was the thief,” Ms Phawitra concluded.

Mr Chayathip said that having heard details of Ms Phawitra’s predicament, the Region 8 Court of Appeal would provide her with a lawyer to help her fight this case and clear her name.