The Appeal Court on Tuesday sentenced 2 men to life in prison, reducing the Criminal Court's death penalty, for killing a man to steal his 26,000-baht iPhone in Lat Phrao district, Bangkok, early last year.
Kittikorn Wikaha, 27, of Sa Kaeo province, and Supatchai Charnsri, 26, of Uthai Thani province, were convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Wasin Luengjaem, 26, and theft of his iPhone 6 on Sukhonthasawat Road on the night of Jan 4 last year.
The Appeal Court ruled that the two men had consistently confessed during police interrogation and their court trial, and also admitted to their crime when speaking to news reporters. That showed their repentance, which justified the commuted sentences.
Niraporn Luengjaem, the victim's mother, said she had recovered from the loss and held no more grudges. She asked the authorities to take good care of the 2 inmates so they could improve themselves and not repeat their crime. She would not appeal the sentences to the Supreme Court.
In May last year the Criminal Court handed them both the death sentence, reasoning they had no option but to confess because a surveillance camera had caught them in the act.
The court also said it was unlikely the 2 men would reform their behaviour, because they had committed numerous crimes in the past.
The men were charged with theft causing death, carrying a weapon in a public place, and murder to conceal a crime.
The security camera footage showed Wasin being attacked by the 2 men, who approached him on a motorcycle while he was on the footpath and using his phone.
Source: Bangkok Post, April 24, 2018
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