DSI to report on Somchai case
The Justice Ministry told the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) yesterday to speed up its investigation into the disappearance of prominent Muslim lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit in 2004.
Justice Minister Charnchai Likhitjittha and ministry permanent secretary Jaran Phakdithanakul ordered DSI chief Sombat Amornwiwat to report on its inquiries within a week. The ministry will pass the findings to Premier Surayud Chulanont, who is due to visit the deep South soon.Somchai, former chair of the Muslim Lawyers Club, went missing in March 2004 after publicly claiming his clients had been tortured in detention. His clients were accused of involvement in a raid on a military camp in Narathiwat in January 2004. The DSI was instructed to handle the case after the criminal court failed to hand down tough punishments to police suspected of abducting Somchai. One officer was convicted of illegal detention. - the nation
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