The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases today sentenced Phra Alongkot, the former abbot of Wat Phra Bat Nam Phu in Lop Buri province, to 742 years in prison for embezzling funds from the temple.
His close aide, Sekson Sapseesakul, known as “Doctor Bee”, was sentenced to 386 years for aiding and abetting the embezzlement of temple funds.
Despite the lengthy cumulative sentences, both defendants will serve no more than 50 years each under Section 91(3) of the Criminal Code.
The court also ordered them to jointly return Bt306.02 million to Wat Phra Bat Nam Phu.
The court found that Phra Alongkot, whose former monastic title was Phra Rajavisutthiprachanat, had committed multiple separate offences.
He was initially sentenced to six years in prison for each of 185 counts of embezzlement and three years for money laundering.
However, his sentence was reduced by one-third because his testimony and conduct during the trial were considered helpful to the court.
He was therefore sentenced to four years for each of the 185 embezzlement counts, totalling 740 years, plus two years for money laundering, making the total sentence 742 years.
Sekson was found guilty of aiding and abetting Phra Alongkot in the embezzlement of temple property in 185 counts.
He was initially sentenced to four years for each count, as well as three years for each count of money laundering and jointly laundering money.
The court also reduced his sentences by one-third because his testimony and conduct during the trial were considered helpful to the court.
He was therefore sentenced to two years and eight months for each of the 185 embezzlement counts, totalling 370 years, plus 16 years for eight money-laundering counts.
His cumulative sentence was 386 years, or 1,480 months.
The arrest of Phra Alongkot in August last year on embezzlement and money-laundering charges shocked the public, as he was once hailed for his pioneering work with AIDS patients.
Investigations revealed that he had falsified his educational background and assumed another man's identity to gain ordination in 1986.
Alongkot was appointed abbot of the temple in 1988 and set up an AIDS hospice on its grounds four years later.
At the time, this was controversial, with many questioning whether a temple should raise funds and build facilities for AIDS patients.
However, his work struck a chord, and donations began pouring in from Thailand and abroad. The hospice attracted many foreign medical volunteers and more than 100,000 visitors a year.
He also received several honorary doctorates, including from Thammasat University, Ramkhamhaeng University and Prince of Songkla University, in recognition of his work with AIDS patients.
Read more: False credentials, stolen identity: The shocking truth behind AIDS hero Phra Alongkot
Main photo: Former Phra Alongkot (L) and Sekson Sapseesakul (R)
