Thailand's ex-chief of Central Investigation Bureau sentenced to over 16 years in jail

BANGKOK, February 17 (TNA) - Former chief of Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau Police Lieutenant General Pongpat Chayapan have been sentenced to a combined jail term of 16 years and nine months for money laundering scams, as well as illegal casino bribe reception and illegal wood possession, while many more cases against him have not yet to be judged. Bangkok's Criminal Court handed a latest jail sentence to the Central Investigation Bureau's former chief on Tuesday. The Central Investigation Bureau's former chief and his six accomplices were first prosecuted for lese majeste, malfeasance and bribe taking. Subsequent searches at their places found over 2,000 assets believed to involve money-laundering attempts, including gold bars, gold ornaments, processed wood, luxury cars, land title deeds and ancient objects. The court found guilty of the cases, but it halved the latest jail term of the Central Investigation Bureau's ex-chief, from 20 to 10 years, due to his confession. For the same reason, the jail term of one of his accomplices, former marine police chief Police Major General Boonsueb Praithuen was commuted from three years to one year and six months and that of the remaining defendants from 10 to five years. After Tuesday ruling, corrections officials brought the Central Investigation Bureau's former chief and other defendants back to the Bangkok Remand Prison right away. (TNA)