Bail supported for "Mor Nim" despite death sentence

22 ธันวาคม 2559

The Court of Justice (CoJ) has defended the Appeal Court's decision to grant bail to Nitiwadee Pucharoenyos, known as Mor Nim, who was given the death sentence in a lower court.

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CoJ defends Appeal Court bail decision for 'Mor Nim'

Post Reporters

The Court of Justice (CoJ) has defended the Appeal Court's decision to grant bail to Nitiwadee Pucharoenyos, known as Mor Nim, who was given the death sentence in a lower court for hiring someone to kill her national sharpshooter husband Jakkrit Panichpatikum.

Suebpong Sripongkul, the CoJ spokesman, said Wednesday the Appeal Court can grant bail to a convict based on conditions under the Criminal Procedure Code Law.

Among the key conditions, the person granted bail must not be a flight risk. Nitiwadee is a doctor with a known residence and workplace so the court believed she would not flee.

"The court made a judgement based on facts which are different in each case," he said.

Mr Suebpong was commenting in response to Boonruang Uthairat, a lawyer representing the family of Jakkrit, who said the court's decision came as a surprise as he had never before seen anyone sentenced to death later released on bail and that was why he had not filed an objection to Nitiwadee's bail request to the court in the first place.

On Tuesday, Nitiwadee was released after the Appeal Court approved a bail request submitted along with a surety of one million baht. She was granted bail on the condition that she does not leave the country at any time unless approved by the court.

The court released Nitiwadee temporarily while she is fighting her case because she is not considered a flight risk.

The Appeal Court also approved a bail request Wednesday for Santi Thongsem, the lawyer who was also sentenced to death for his involvement in hiring the gunman who killed Jakkrit.

Min Buri Provincial Court on Monday gave the death sentence to Nitiwadee for hiring a gunman to kill her former husband.

Surang Duangjinda, Nitiwadee's mother, who was also a defendant in the same murder case, was acquitted.

Jakkrit, 40, was attacked on Oct 19, 2013 by two men on a motorcycle and shot dead while driving his Porsche near Ramkhamhaeng Soi 166 in Min Buri district.