Court fails to rule on death of nine-year-old boy

Given the available evidence, the court only ruled that Chakraphan Srisaard, 9, died of gunshot wounds on February 23, 2003 during the course of a police operation.

"It remains inconclusive as to whether the boy was shot by police," the court said.

According to the court, a police report showed the bullets that hit the boy did not match those used by the police officers involved in the sting operation.

However, an autopsy on the boy disproved police claims that unknown gunmen shot the boy from behind and there was nothing to rebut a suggestion that other guns, rather than the defendants' firearms, were sent for forensic examination.

Chakraphan's uncle, Somchai Kerdrungruang, peti¬tioned the court after public prosecutors dropped the case against the three policemen.

Somchai complained that the three policemen from the Bang Chan Police Station used excessive force to arrest the boy's father.

On the night of February 23, 2003, Chakraphan was killed by two gunshot wounds, and his mother mysteriously disappeared. The boy's father was imprisoned and is serving a 25-year term for trafficking methamphetamines.

According to the boy's father, his wife attempted to flee the scene after police arrived. Gunshots were heard soon after.

The court was asked to look into how Chakraphan died.

"Five years ago, my nephew died and my younger sister disappeared. Several vendors saw policemen dragging my younger sister into a pickup but no one dared to show up in the court. These policemen are still working in the police force," Somchai said after hearing the court's decision.

He said he could only pin his hopes on the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) about Chakraphan's case.

Assigned by the Surayud Chulanontled administration, the DSI is looking into many suspicious killings during the Thaksin Shinawatraled government's war on drugs.

Chakraphan's case is among those being handled by DSI.

"I will wait for the DSI's find¬ings on what happened," Somchai said. DSI officers attended Friday's court session.