Update on Inquest trial on Pulohpuyo case, extrajudicial killings of 4 villagers in Pattani

Press Release Post Mortem Inquest of Four Deaths in Tambon Pulopuyo, Nongchik District, Pattani

During 10 and 11 November 2012, the Provincial Court of Pattani conducted post mortem hearings as proposed by the public prosecutors and required by Section 150 of the Criminal Procedure Code in the Black Case no. Chor5/2555. The victims in this case including Mr. Isman Duramae were gunned down by military rangers on 29 January 2012 at Moo 1, Tambon Pulopuyo, Nongchik District, Pattani.

During the first hearing, three witnesses were introduced by the public prosecutors for examination including Mrs. Menao Latae, Mrs. Liyoh Sama-ae and Mr. Hama Buraheng, relatives of the deceased. More examinations of the prosecution witnesses were requested and shall take place on 23 December 2012 and 19-20 January 2013.

Prior to the first hearing, military and police officers involved with the incidence had been asked to testify in the Court, but they informed the public prosecutors by letter that they could not come on the proposed dates. In addition, the public prosecutors proposed to the Court for have four more witnesses who are relatives of the deceased examined. Previously, the public prosecutors had not proposed to have them included. But since the relatives of the deceased were present during the hearing, the Court asked them to give their testimonies right away.

In the list of additional witnesses proposed by the public prosecutors are Mr. Hama Buraheng, father of Mr. Ropa Buraheng, the fourth deceased, to testify on 10 November 2012, Mrs. Menao Latae, wife of Mr. Saha Sa-ae, the second deceased and Mrs. Liyoh Sama-ae, wife of Mr. Hama Sani, the third deceased to testify on 11 November 2012. The three witnesses gave a congruent account that on 29 January 2012, around 20.30, the four deceased and others, altogether nine of them, drove a pickup truck to attend a funeral service at Ban Thung Poh, not far from their village. After leaving their village for a while, a series of gunshots were heard for quite a long time, and injured persons ran back to the village. Around midnight, the Deputy Village Headman helped to bring the relatives to retrieve the bodies of the deceased from the Nongchik Hospital.

According to the rangers at the Ranger Company 4302 Ban Namdam, Tambon Pulopuyo, Nongchik District, Pattani, on that day, they were mobilizing forces to follow some perpetrators who appeared to have entered Moo 1 in Tambon Pulopuyo. A checkpoint was set up on a local road off the four-lane highway, an entrance into Moo 1 Tambon Pulopuyo. Upon seeing the pickup truck, the officers stopped the car and shot into the vehicle killing four villagers and injuring other five villagers.

On 20 April 2012, the Pattani public prosecutors, as petitioner in this case, requested the Court to conduct a post mortem hearing in order to identify as to who the deceased are, where and how they died as required by Section 150 of the Criminal Procedure Code since the deaths could have been caused by an act of the officers who claimed to have executed their official duties. Relatives of the four deceased has also submitted their counter-argument to the claim including Mr. Nili Duramae, son of Mr. Isman Duramae, as the first objector, Mrs. Menao Latae, wife of Mr. Saha Sa-mae, as the second objector, Mrs. Liyoh Sama-ae, wife of Mr. Hama Sani, as the third objector and Mr. Hama Buraheng, father of Mr. Ropa Buraheng, as the fourth objector. Legal representatives have been appointed to conduct examination and to propose additional evidence to the Court.

For more information, please contact
– Ms. Pawinee Chumsri, Attorney, CrCF phone 083-1896598
– Mr. Watcharin Ninsakul, Attorney, Muslim Attorney Centre Foundation, phone 081-4394938