PUBLISHED: 22 Jul 2024 at 07: 26
The Narathiwat Provincial Court will decide next quarter whether to accept a lawsuit brought against nine previous top officials who are accused of murder, immoral confinement, and misconduct in connection with the Sudah Bai tragedy.
The complaint was lodged on April 26 by a group of 48 claimants who are either injured patients or family of the deceased, after no techniques to get fairness on their behalf, except for economic compensation, were forthcoming from officers or prosecutors.
The plaintiffs ‘ decision to take the issue into their own hands comes inainte of the 20-year statute of limitations ‘ expiration in October.
Security forces staged a protest in front of Tak Bai police station in the Tak Bai city on October 25, 2004, which was the catalyst for the incident.
The activists were requesting the launch of six prisoners.
Seven protesters died at the scene, and 78 people died from asphyxia or tissue loss as they were taken to a military hospital 140 kilometers away in Pattani’s Nong Chik area.
The court held two hearings for the first examination operation, on June 24 and July 19, according to Adilan Ali-Ishoh, a lawyer for the Muslim Attorney Center Foundation, and will determine on August 23 whether to take the case for trial.
The nine former officials face accusations of murder, unlawful detention and malfeasance. A former Narathiwat governor, a former superintendent of Tak Bai station, a former commander of the 4th army region, and a former chief of the provincial police region 9 are just a few of the people who are represented. The incident involved three of the accused physically.
Mr. Adilan said he was not sure if the accused could be arraigned before the statute of limitations expires on October 25 but that he was confident there are enough grounds for the court to accept the case for trial.
” In case the court accepts the case, it remains to be seen if the defendants will try to delay court appearance”, he said.
Another attorney, Useng Doloh, claimed that police should have assembled evidence and tried to prosecute those responsible for the tragedy.
Instead, they have taken no action, possibly because those involved are high-ranking officers.
” Twenty years ca n’t erase their memory. It only serves to lessen their desire for justice. As soon as the statute of limitations expires, any chance for justice disappears”, he said.